Dwight Howard is back for his second go-around with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he insists he is a different person now than he was seven years ago when he began his first disastrous stint with the club.
During his introductory press conference on Wednesday, Howard had this to say:
“I've had some time to really reflect,” said Howard, per Ryan Ward of ClutchPoints. “This summer was very important for me. … Become one with myself.”
We have heard this type of thing before from Howard, so whether or not he is sincere remains to be seen. But it's fair to note that this could very well be Howard's last chance in the NBA, and he has to know that.
For that reason, there is a very good chance that Dwight finally understands he needs to change in order to have success in the NBA for the future.
The 33-year-old is a far cry from the player he once was, as back injuries and a changing NBA landscape have severely reduced his overall impact.
Since spending one season with the Lakers back during the 2012-13 campaign, Howard has played games with four different teams, most recently playing nine games for the Washington Wizards this past season before bowing out with a back issue that would require surgery.
The Lakers' need for Howard developed when DeMarcus Cousins suffered a torn ACL earlier this summer, opening up a rather big hole in the frontcourt.
As a result, LA signed Howard to a non-guaranteed deal.
Howard owns career averages of 17.4 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.
Follow Us
Subscribe