Dwight Howard is unlikely to return to the Lakers next season
Dwight Howard is unlikely to return to the Lakers next season. This offseason, Dwight Howard of the Los Angeles Lakers could be the most sought-after free agent. Reports indicate that the Lakers will go to great lengths to keep him, but their efforts will likely be in vain.
It has been reported by ESPN’s Chris Broussard that Howard is not planning to re-sign with the Lakers. Furthermore, he claims that the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks are leading contenders to sign him.
When free agency begins, the Golden State Warriors will try to make a play for Howard, Broussard said.
This may come as a surprise to some, given that Howard has always been a bit of a wild card. Howard’s first season with the Lakers did not go as planned because the team narrowly made the playoffs as the No. 7 seed and was routed by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.
Howard’s reluctance to re-sign with the Magic during the offseason before last essentially forced him out of Orlando. Instead of letting him walk for nothing in free agency, the Magic helped broker a trade that moved Dwight Howard from Orlando to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Denver Nuggets.
Even though Howard’s averages dropped to 17.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game, he is still the best centre in the NBA when healthy. Howard’s offensive decline was in large part due to the fact that he had to share the spotlight with future Hall of Fame shooting guard Kobe Bryant for most of the season.
Broussard
As per Broussard, the Lakers have the financial means to offer Howard $30 million more than any other team. The money may not be the only factor, though, as Howard allegedly does not feel comfortable playing under Mike D’Antoni’s system. As a result, Howard could be open to playing for a lower salary somewhere.
The Lakers are in a position to offer Howard a five-year, $118 million contract, while the most any other team can do is four years at $88 million. Once he becomes a free agent on July 1, Howard is scheduled to visit with the Mavericks, the Rockets, and the Atlanta Hawks, per Broussard.
Broussard, however, isn’t ready to write off the Lakers just yet.
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However, Howard’s decision may have already been made, and the Lakers may have exhausted all of their options.
Dwight Howard is unlikely to return to the Lakers next season