On Friday, it was reported that the Los Angeles Lakers were going to sign big man Dwight Howard.
Considering Howard’s first stint with the Lakers back in the 2012-13 season, the news likely came as something of a surprise.
During that season, Howard clashed with Lakers star Kobe Bryant, and while he could have signed a multi-year contract with the Lakers that summer, he opted to instead sign with the Houston Rockets.
With that in mind, details regarding the Lakers’ decision indicates that they are doing their due diligence to try to make sure that they are not making the same mistake twice.
Dwight Howard's deal with the Lakers will be non-guaranteed, league source tells ESPN. Howard had several meetings with Lakers officials, and they'll give him a chance to show he's made changes in how he conducts himself. Lakers players were involved in process.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 23, 2019
Howard has had a difficult go of it over the last few seasons. While he was once considered the most dominant big man in the NBA, his per-game averages have dipped and numerous injuries have forced him to miss significant time.
In fact, last season he played just nine games with the Washington Wizards. In those games he put up 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
If Howard is able to enjoy a similar level of production over an entire season, the Lakers’ decision to sign him will certainly be considered a win.
Whether or not that is possible remains to be seen.
