DeMarcus Cousins' sudden ACL injury left the Los Angeles Lakers without a starting big. It left the Purple and Gold in a desperate search for Boogie's replacement. It ended up in Dwight Howard's return to the Staples Center.
Many NBA fans don't find Dwight the ideal big. Nowadays, even centers are expected to space the floor with their 3-point shooting. Howard, who did not learn to properly shoot a 3-ball, is a living fossil among men in the current NBA landscape.
Many see the Lakers' Howard acquisition as a weak move. However, FOX Sports analyst Shannon Sharpe has other ideas, claiming in a recent episode of Undisputed that Dwight is the “best fit” among the options the Purple and Gold had.
"I think Dwight's the best fit of the options they had: Dwight, Joakim Noah, Mo Speights, Marcin Gortat. If Dwight Howard's half of what he once was, he's better than what all of these guys may have been in their entire careers at their absolute best." — @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/3Nvvq0caUh
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) August 26, 2019
Sharpe brought up legitimate points in the video. Joakim Noah, Marreese Speights and Marcin Gortat are all serviceable bigs, but none of them comes close to Dwight's level.
It's easy to forget that Dwight has always been a consistent double-double guy. Despite the fact that he can't shoot the basketball outside 19 feet, he has career averages of 17.4 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.
In a team where LeBron James and Anthony Davis are going to do most of the heavy lifting, Howard doesn't need to stand out that much. All he needs to do is regain the player he once was when he was suiting up for the Orlando Magic. Moreover, LeBron certainly won't let him clown around his team.
This season will be tough for the Lakers, especially in the loaded Western Conference. With that said, the Purple and Gold needs Howard to play well and show that he has what it takes to contribute to a championship contender.
Follow Us
Subscribe