Dwight Howard Rumors: Wizards Targeting Center After Nets Buyout

The Washington Wizards have reportedly set their sights on Dwight Howard as a possible Marcin Gortat replacement. 

According to the Washington Post's Candace Buckner, "The Wizards plan to be at the front of the line to offer a contract" to Howard once he's officially traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Brooklyn Nets and receives a buyout.

The trade can become official when the moratorium ends at 12:01 a.m. ET Friday. 

The Athletic's Jared Weiss reported Howard has already agreed to terms on a buyout with the Nets and intends to sign a deal with the Wizards for the $5.3 million taxpayer mid-level exception. 

Once Howard arrives in the nation's capital, he'll suit up for his fourth team in as many seasons following runs with the Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks and Hornets that were overshadowed by his enigmatic personality.

"The locker room hated Dwight Howard," former NBA center Brendan Haywood said on SiriusXM NBA Radio (h/t Slam's Marcel Mutoni). "I'm not sure if Charlotte is rebuilding or if they're just trying to get Dwight Howard out of there, but it was clear the locker room did not like Dwight Howard."

Haywood added: "Now he's not the guy going around slapping people in the face. But [he's] hard to deal with, doesn't accept responsibility, cries a lot, has bad tendencies, awful body language. So all these things contributed to why he was shipped out of Charlotte. … People I talked to behind the scenes, guys were just sick and tired of his act."

Last season, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year averaged 16.6 points, 12.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. 

Warts and all, that production is a bargain at $5.3 million. 

"I want to give a team all of me, on and off the court," Howard told ESPN.com's Chris Haynes. "And basically, an organization that will give me a clean slate and just let me be who I am. I still can jump, I still can play, I still can contribute and I can contribute in any system."