Dwight Howard hasn’t been utilized in the post very often this year. According to NBC Sports, he got 297 shots out of post-ups this season, and that would average out to over four per game. That isn’t very much for a player of his size and athleticism, and his old head coach Kevin McHale called out the big man recently for his lack of consistency down there.

Howard only made 47 percent of his attempts on the block, and that isn’t what you would call efficient offense. Dwight got the ball a lot more in his time with the Orlando Magic, and you have to wonder if the center wishes he’d never left.

It was expected that Howard would become a great post player with the Houston Rockets. After all, he would be working with two of the best ever in McHale and Hakeem Olajuwon. It didn’t pan out that way, though.

“Throw it down to him occasionally but if you throw it down to him on a steady diet the poor guy just can’t get down low and move any more,” McHale said to SiriusXM NBA Radio hosts Rick Mahorn and Jonathan Hood. “I think that back bothered him, his hips are tight from that and he just wasn’t the same player. He’s worked hard on it. The kid does work hard on his physical conditioning and trying to get healthy and stuff. But he is not what he used to be down there in the low post. And I think the knee surgery, too.”

Injuries have definitely played a part in Howard’s disintegration as a player, and it will be interesting to see what the market is like for him this summer. He seems to think that a max contract will be waiting for him, and he might be right given the NBA’s current financial climate. But there are a lot of teams that would rather not risk bringing a toxic player onto their roster.

Howard is definitely closer to the end of his career than the beginning, and he should really look in the mirror over the offseason. Does he want to go down in history as another selfish superstar with no rings? Or does he want to be remembered as someone who became a humbler man and better player over time? The choice is up to him. McHale’s comments might sound like sour grapes, but they also appear to be the truth based on the numbers.