8x NBA All-Star The Los Angeles Lakers Must Consider
Dwight Howard most recently played in the NBA during the 2022 season when he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The future Hall of Famer was once the best center in the league but has done an excellent job transitioning into a role player.
Last season, Howard played in Taiwan, and he currently remains a free agent available to be signed by any team.
I believe the Lakers should consider bringing him back for his fourth stint with the franchise.
Why?
When Howard played for the Lakers in 2022, he averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest while shooting 61.2% from the field.
He would be an excellent backup to add to their bench (especially for a playoff run).
At the end of last season, the Lakers signed Tristan Thompson for depth, but they did not bring him back this summer.
Therefore, Howard would be a significant upgrade and he already has experience playing with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
In 2020, the former first-overall pick helped the Lakers win the NBA Championship over the Miami Heat.
This past season, the Lakers were the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a 43-39 record.
They ended up making the Conference Finals, so the Lakers will once again be seen as a contender heading into 2024.
At this stage of Howard's career, he will likely be signed for the veteran's minimum, which means that there would be no risk for the Lakers to bring him into training camp.
In addition to the Lakers, he has also played for the Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers.
His career averages are 15.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.8 blocks per contest while shooting 58.7% from the field in 1,242 regular season games.
