Charlotte Hornets are a frontrunner for Dwight Howard in free agency, according to report

It looks like Dwight Howard will become a free agent this summer.

Calvin Watkins of ESPN has reported that the Hornets, along with the Portland Trail Blazers, Milwaukee Bucks, and (of all franchises) the Orlando Magic have emerged as favorites to sign the city-hopping center this summer.

As we covered here Howard's skill set would be ideal for a team lacking interior muscle and rim protection, and the organization could potentially re-ignite some of Dwight's Orlando-esque magic, (no pun intended) suiting up for one-time Magic assistant coach Steve Clifford yet again.

However, and this is by no means breaking news, Howard has been a bit of a, well, disappointment as of late. He's coming off two unsuccessful stints with both the Lakers and the Rockets, and it remains to be seen if the big man is in tip-top shape, given his recent back injuries.

On the other hand, the Hornets are due a bit of good fortune after the Lance Stephenson situation ended poorly. Either way, with GM Rich Cho's impressive track record thus far, it'll be interesting to monitor what exactly the team is willing to offer, if anything.