Dwight Howard may have played his final NBA game - here's why

Back in 2009, Dwight Howard sat atop the basketball world. The then 23-year-old was an established All-Star, and during the 08/09 season, Howard's career rocketed to new heights. He garnered a record 3.1 million votes to earn a starting berth on the Eastern Conference All-Star team, led the NBA in both rebounds and blocks, and also steered the Orlando Magic to just their second ever NBA Finals appearance.

The charismatic center looked to be on his way to NBA superstardom, however, 2009 proved to be the peak for Howard, and his popularity and impact on the court soon began to slowly decline.

After losing the 2009 NBA Finals, Howard stayed with the Magic for another three years, although Orlando failed to contend for a ring, and he eventually left for the Lakers in 2012. Howard's arrival in Los Angeles was highly anticipated, however, the center repeatedly clashed with Kobe Bryant, and during the 2013 offseason, Howard turned down the Lakers' maximum contract offer.

Howard chose to instead sign with the Houston Rockets, spending three years with the team - although 2014 marked his last All-Star appearance and the big man reportedly had a series of bust-ups with James Harden.

Howard left the Rockets during the summer of 2016, and in the ensuing years, has found himself playing for three different teams. Injuries have also started to take their toll on the big man, and Howard has played just nine times since joining the Washington Wizards last summer.

With the Wizards, Howard has averaged career lows in both points and rebounds, and during his limited time on the court, Howard has increasingly looked like a relic of the game. The 33-year-old can no longer count on his athleticism and explosiveness, and he has also failed to develop any sort of shot from outside of the paint.

What's next for Howard - this summer and beyond?

Howard has a $5.6 million player option on his contract for the 19/20 season, and understandably, he will opt in. Nevertheless, over the last few years, teams have been increasingly willing to release unwanted high earners, a notable example being Carmelo Anthony last summer.

At 33, Howard's career is naturally winding down, although if the Wizards were to waive him this summer, he may have already played his final game in the NBA.