Howard could miss start of Wizards camp

Dwight Howard joked Monday about the sore back that’s expected to keep him out for the start of training camp with the Washington Wizards. Coach Scott Brooks downplayed the significance of the injury, too. Still, it’s not ideal that the team needs to put off incorporating its one offseason addition to the starting lineup. “I’ve been having to do a lot of traveling with shoe companies and stuff like that in China. So just from training, traveling — and airplanes weren’t made for tall people. It kind of [stinks] to fly 15 hours curled up in the fetal position,” said Howard, a 6-foot-11 center entering his 15th NBA season. “So just a minor setback. It shouldn’t take that long for me to get back on the court,” he added. “I’ve been feeling great all summer. Just something that we’ll have to deal with, and it shouldn’t keep me out too long.” The Wizards traded starting center Marcin Gortat to the Los Angeles Clippers and added Howard, who’ll turn 33 in December, on a two-year, $11 million contract with a player option. He averaged 16.6 points and12.5 rebounds last season for a Charlotte Hornets team that missed the playoffs and now is with his fourth team in four years.