Dwight Howard’s honeymoon phase in Taiwan appears to be over.
in This week’s interview with TVBS News (Taiwanese TV channel), the eight-time NBA star called his team, Taoyuan Leopards. Howard said the Panthers offered him a contract for next season with a 65 percent pay cut (compared to his first season). He called it “extremely disrespectful” and “extremely disappointing”.
Howard also said in the interview that he is now looking forward to returning to the NBA (but left open the possibility of playing another season in Taiwan).
according To Keoni Everington from Taiwan NewsLeopards CEO Chang Chien-Wei said the contract offer for Howard was based on a new calculation method (involving escalators for the winning team as well as removing escalators for the losing team and for Howard himself not to play). Chen Wei also noted that Howard has missed 10 of the Leopards’ 30 games this season.
Howard, 37, was a difference maker in the games he played, averaging 23.2 points and 16.2 rebounds per game. But the Panthers as a whole posted the worst record in the T1 league this season, going 6-24 (. 200).
Former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Howard earned an A.D Much larger contract More Leopards this season than the T1 League normally allows for foreign players. He also seems to love life in taiwan and was recruiting A number of basketball notables to join him there.
But earlier this week, Howard expressed interest in returning to the NBA (with a specific team). Now we have a better idea of what caused his sudden change of mind.