Dwight Howard says he explored return to Orlando Magic

Dwight Howard answered fan questions from Twitter and confirmed he explored a return to the Orlando Magic in free agency last summer. The Magic declined.

Last summer, the Orlando Magic had max cap space and the intention to spend to try to get the team back to the Playoffs. It seemed like just about every option was on the table.

As the Magic’s strategy last summer developed, one name seemed to emerge that divided the Magic fan base: Dwight Howard.

It did not take long after the Magic traded Tobias Harris and cleared out all that cap room for Howard’s name to get attached to the team. A report surfaced suggesting Howard had reached out to the Magic to determine their interest as he prepared for his own free agency. The very suggestion set off a ton of debate.

Everyone seemed to weigh in. Former Magic center (and pariah) Shaquille O’Neal weighed in. Victor Oladipo weighed in. We weighed in — on both sides. Rumors flew still connecting Howard to the Magic and distancing the Magic.

Free agency is a fluid thing. But the Magic were looking for a center and looking for a defensive anchor to their team. Howard seemed to fit the bill. Even with all his injuries. It made sense for the Magic to look at him, absent all the history and baggage.

Howard did a mailbag on his Twitter account Sunday and fielded a few questions about the Magic, including one about his free agency last summer. He confirmed he did inquire with the Magic, but they were not interested.

https://twitter.com/DwightHoward/status/886778044895162368

Howard ended up signing a three-year, $70.5-million contract with the Atlanta Hawks. After averaging 13.5 points and 12.7 rebounds per game last year, the Hawks traded him to the Charlotte Hornets. That will reunite Howard with former Magic assistant coach Steve Clifford.

Meanwhile, the Magic signed Bismack Biyombo to a four-year, $68-million deal. Bismack Biyombo disappointed some setting off more debate among those who wanted to reunite with Howard.

It was clear the Magic were not ready to reunite — or were bullish on Howard’s ability to recapture his defensive dominance. Injuries sapped Howard of a lot of his strength and the league has changed away from centers of Howard’s ability.

That debate can be set off for another date.

Among Orlando fans, there is still some interest and wonderment over exactly what happened with Howard’s departure. Howard has spoken about it a few times and blamed miscommunication for the messy exit. He said during his Twitter Q&A he handled some things poorly, but he was not the bad guy the media portrayed him as.

"I agree. But who wants to bring up the past. The years in Orlando were amazing. But I needed to move on. And I hated how the media made it seem bad to fans but I literally treated everyone in Orlando like they were my own blood relative."

Time will heal all wounds. Eventually, the Magic will welcome Howard home to the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame, at the very least, and potentially into the rafters with a retired jersey (although it is not clear whether the Magic will retire jerseys).

Howard is possibly the best player in the team’s history. He certainly took the Magic to their longest run of sustained success. That deserves some recognition and appreciation.

Eventually, it will come. After five years, it might have been too soon with just one management group in place since Howard left (the same group that traded him). And the divided fan base still had some hard feelings.

These comments made on Twitter may only slowly begin some of the healing with fans. But one day they will come.

Next: Jonathon Simmons completes imperfect Orlando Magic roster

The reality may have been last summer was too soon to explore a reunion. And the Magic moved on from Howard.