The Los Angeles Lakers signed DeMarcus Cousins back in July, but after Cousins tore his ACL during an offseason workout in August, the Lakers found themselves very thin up front.
To address that problem, Los Angeles decided to bring back an old friend in Dwight Howard, who spent one season with the Lakers in 2012-13 before joining the Houston Rockets that summer.
Obviously, a lot has changed for Howard between then and now, and at Lakers media day on Friday, general manager Rob Pelinka touched on the team's decision to sign the big man:
“He put his money where his mouth was and showed his desire to be a part of something bigger than himself,” Pelinka said of Howard, via ClutchPoints. “He came in almost for like a draft workout. It took a lot of humility to come in and feel like he needed to try out.”
It's not surprising that Howard took it so seriously, seeing as how this may very well be his last chance to salvage his NBA career.
The Lakers represent Howard's fifth team in the last five years, as he completed his three-year stint in Houston in 2016 and then bounced around between the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards the past three seasons.
However, the 33-year-old played in just nine games with the Wizards during the 2018-19 campaign as a result of a back injury that required surgery. When he was on the floor, he averaged 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
An eight-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Howard boasts career averages of 17.4 points, 12.6 boards and two blocks a night.
Follow Us
Subscribe