Dwight Howard Got Traded To The Hornets For Peanuts, And I Wonder What The Hornets Have Against Peanuts

I know the news circulating throughout the beginning of the NBA offseason has seemingly been minute-to-minute, so this ironic turn of events shouldn't be too, too surprising. That said, Dwight Howard checking his mentions on trade ideas only to find out he had been traded during the initial wave of unquestionably rational and poignant Twitter responses is honestly something that could only happen to potentially the most disrespected talent in NBA history. This is the most harmless thing that a professional athlete has ever posted on social media, and yet it still - somehow - ended up being used as a punchline against the player that has become a walking , talking, and now tweeting parody of himself...

Ok Twitter Fans ,, give me your thoughts , trades or otherwise & Remember 2B-Nice □ pic.twitter.com/Nl6lQFVvBN

— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) June 21, 2017

Sources: Charlotte is sending Miles Plumlee, Marco Belenelli and 41st pick to Atlanta for Dwight Howard and 31st pick.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 21, 2017

 
Unfortunately, I think we have arrived in a place where I actually feel bad for Dwight Howard. When I first read that the Atlanta Hawks traded down and picked up a goddamn Plumlee just to shed the inflated contract of a homegrown star my instinctual reaction was "there is still a team out there that wants Dwight Howard?!". It was only then that I came to the realization that I am being too hard on the automatic double-double who already has a spot saved for him in the basketball 'Hall Of Fame'.

Now, I still think he's an enigmatic, overgrown child that refuses to accept that the only thing dumber than running your offense through a big man who has his back to the basket is running your offense through a big man who - objectively speaking - stinks with his back to the basket. His laughably belated decision to start working on his three point shooting as someone that still can't consistently make a foul shot certainly hasn't swayed that opinion. I maintain that if I were concerned with winning games or harboring a healthy, happy locker room then the disease that is Dwight Howard is still the last guy I would inject into my organization.

Regardless, I can't - in good conscience - act like the Charlotte Hornets lost a trade in which they moved up in the draft, got rid of a white Dukey that can't shoot, and added one of the best rebounders and rim protectors in the league. That doesn't mean they won't regret making the deal the first time he decides to be himself and shows the true colors that lie beneath that forced, disingenuous smile. On the other hand, it does mean they can puff their chest out for the months leading up to the moment they realize why literally every other team has treated a productive player like the plague.