Getty Dwight Howard of the Los Angeles Lakers attends Game Four of the 2019 WNBA Playoff semifinals.
Coming back to the Lakers for a second time, Dwight Howard is far from the dominant force he was upon his first arrival in 2012. Coming off three defensive player of the year awards and widely considered one of the young faces of the league, Howard was expected to take the torch from Kobe Bryant and lead the way into the next chapter for the Lakers. Brought in to fill the shoes of legendary big men like Wilt, Kareem, and Shaq, Howard was instead at the center of a drama-filled season that ended with an early exit in the playoffs.
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Dwight Howard Told Lakers, LeBron James he ‘Hit Rock Bottom’
Rob Pelinka says Dwight Howard came to them and said he had hit rock bottom and wanted to be apart of something larger than himself. “LeBron was locked in during the entire process.”
After leaving Los Angeles after his lone tumultuous year, things only got worse for Howard. Seeing his production in Houston slip each season, Howard slowly became more obsolete as the NBA moved out behind the three-point line. No longer counted on to be a focal point of offenses and instead asked to focus on rebounding, protecting the rim, and setting screens, Howard’s confidence took a serious hit as he bounced from team to team following his run on the Rockets.
Given the history surrounding Dwight, it makes sense why not only James was so dialed in, but the rest of the Lakers roster was as well. In addition to James playing a large part in the process, numerous other members of the Lakers held a meeting with Dwight prior to signing in order to get a read on just where exactly his head was at.
Dwight has been vocal this offseason about him hitting rock bottom and that he simply wants another chance to prove he can be a serviceable basketball player. Clearly his willingness to take a non-guaranteed contract and gamble on himself helped to sway the Lakers minds as Howard looks to step into a role of playing at least 15-20 minutes per night and be a major contributor for a team with championship aspirations.
Dwight Howard Primed for Bounce-Back Year With Lakers
DWIGHT HOWARD!
With no expectations of stepping into a major offensive role and looking to be in the best shape of his career, Howard could be in for a major bounceback season. Howard has always excelled at rebounding and protecting the rim, during his run with the Magic Howard routinely led the league in rebounds and twice led the league in blocks. The talent is undoubtedly there and given the circumstances, allowing Howard to focus on what he does best could be exactly what he needs to get back on track.
Howard will never be the interior back to the basket force he once was – the current state of the NBA won’t really allow it – that said, he could be an extremely effective defensive weapon and should he prove to be a consistent force, might even find himself working his way up into a starting role as the season goes on.