The Los Angeles Lakers officially put an end to their misery on Monday after they held the exit interviews for their players. It was an opportunity for them to talk about what went wrong these past several months, which at this point, feels like everything.

Dwight Howard spent his time in the media discussing the same thing. When asked what he thought the worst part was of the campaign, the eight-time All-Star admitted that it was actually “the entire season.” That's pretty much how every single Laker fan is feeling right about now.

Nevertheless, Howard would not have it any other way. The 36-year-old has become a fan favorite in LA and when asked about his future with the squad, Howard revealed that if it were up to him, he would love to get another opportunity with LeBron James and the rest of the team next season:

“I don't want to leave,” Howard admitted, via Michael Corvo of ClutchPoints. “… Love being here.”

“I feel like I got a lot more years in me.”

He also added that he knows “he can do more and bring more” but that at the same time, he's “grateful” for the opportunity to suit up for LA this season.

Howard signed a one-year deal with the Lakers last summer and that contract has now come to an end. He's going to be a free agent come August and he will be eligible to sign with any team in the NBA. However, it is clear that Howard wants to remain in Hollywood:

“Why would I want to leave?” he said. “… I would really like an opportunity to go out with a bang.”

Howard also stated that he loves the fans in LA and it is clear that they love him back.

Whether or not the Lakers want Howard for another year, however, is an altogether different question. This past season, the former three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game. He wasn't exactly the most important player on the roster, but Howard brought other things to the table as well. He had the occasional healthy DNP, but there's no denying that his veteran presence was also a key element of his value for the squad.

What is clear, though, is that Dwight Howard isn't ready to retire just yet. He will be entering Year 18 next season, but as he said, he feels that he still has some gas left in the tank.

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As for this past season, Howard also admitted that he too could have done much better for his team. When asked about the first thing he looks to when thinking about the Lakers' atrocious season, Howard was quick to discuss his own shortcomings:

“Myself and what I could’ve done better, the areas I got to improve in, what I could’ve done to help my teammates,” he said.

Howard also opened up about his teammates and how their respective situations contributed to LA's struggles this year. Anthony Davis was out injured for the most part of the season and his absence was a major factor behind this team's downfall. Howard believes, however, that this is no fault of AD:

“A lot of them are freak accidents. There's nothing he can do about someone falling on his knee,” Dwight says when asked if there is anything AD can do to work on his durability. “I know he puts a lot of work in on his body.”

Howard then chimed in on Russell Westbrook and his current predicament. Russ had a lot to say during his own exit interview and it wasn't exactly as cordial as Howard's statements here. It is clear that Westbrook has some ill feelings from this past season with some of them even stemming from his own relationship with his teammates. For his part, however, Howard remains confident in Westbrook's abilities:

“Russ is a star. He'll always be a star. It's just about learning how to navigate a galaxy full of stars,” said Dwight.

That was pretty deep from Howard, but you can't say he is wrong here. Westbrook is indeed a superstar-caliber player and he would likely find success wherever he goes. It just so happened that he wasn't able to find his groove in LA alongside the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Russ will likely get another shot at this next season and Howard will be hoping that he gets to witness this first-hand as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.