Dwight Howard isn't as dominant a player as he was four years ago, when he last played for the Orlando Magic.
Keep that in mind whenever you hear rumors that Howard and the Magic might reunite this summer.
Those whispers accelerated the moment Howard's dysfunctional current team, the Houston Rockets, lost its first-round series. An ESPN article declared the Magic are one of four favorites to sign Howard if, as expected, he decides to become a free agent. Hours later, ESPN sportscaster Mark Jones tweeted, "I just had a well connected person tell me Dwight Howard is strongly looking at returning to Orlando!"
Let's just remember, however, that the interest must be reciprocal.
As I said during an episode of the Orlando Sentinel's "Orlando Magic Now" webcast on April 7, I think it is highly unlikely that the Magic will have interest in signing Howard to a multi-year deal.
During his Magic tenure, Howard excelled because he possessed otherworldly athleticism, rarely missed games due to injuries and played in a system tailored to his strengths.
Anyone who watched Howard play recently for the Rockets should be able to see differences. His joy for the game and his intensity on defense appear sapped by the Rockets' unwillingness to feed him the ball on offense.
His health record should be more troubling to potential suitors. Although he missed only four games to injury this past season, it's difficult to ignore the 2014-15 season, when a right-knee strain cost him 11 games and right-knee edema forced him to miss 26 games.
His explosiveness also has started to fade, which is no surprise considering that he's 30 years old and already has played 12 NBA regular seasons and in 89 postseason games.
Tim Duncan remained productive throughout his 30s, but Duncan predicated his success on superb fundamentals and skill.
Howard possesses superior smarts on the defensive end of the court _ a trait he never has received proper credit for _ but sheer athleticism always has been the cornerstone to his game.
Howard still remains an above-average NBA center, but for how much longer?
In the four years since the Magic traded him, he hasn't added the skill that he lacked during his best seasons in Orlando. He never developed the advanced low-post moves he was supposed to learn from Rockets great Hakeem Olajuwon or from former Rockets coach Kevin McHale. Howard's mid-range jumper remains non-existent. He just endured the worst free-throw shooting season of his career, making only 48.9 percent of his attempts.
And yet Howard's obvious on-court deficiencies are rarely brought up when the chances of a potential Howard-Magic reunion are discussed.
The mention of Howard's name stirs intense emotions among Magic fans who are desperate for a quick fix to the franchise's playoff drought. Many fans in Central Florida still feel jilted by Howard's trade demand in 2011 and the chaos that followed. Mainstream media outlets, as well as the aggregators who rely on unsubstantiated rumors for page clicks, have exploited fans' passions.
It would make sense for Howard and his new agent to seek a four-year deal this summer. Many teams, including the Magic, will have money to spend this summer, but few high-caliber players will be available. This may be Howard's last, best chance for one more huge contract.
The Magic should decline to join the bidding.
The franchise ought to focus its energies elsewhere unless Howard does the unexpected and seeks a one-year deal.
A Howard-Magic reunion would be a great story. It would be similar to LeBron James rejoining the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 after four years with the Miami Heat.
There's just one difference, but it would be a huge difference.
James could still carry a team.
Howard can't do that anymore.
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