Report: Dwight Howard was ‘sorely disappointed’ with Lakers miscommunication last year

It appears Los Angeles Lakers big man Dwight Howard was extremely sad he wasn’t able to return to the franchise for the 2020-21 campaign after helping it win a title.

Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register recently shared how the Lakers’ set of moves played out, which left Howard jolting for a new home during 2020 free agency.

“The Lakers came to terms with Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell, quickly leaving Howard out in the cold,” Goon wrote of Howard initially thinking he was going to return to the Lakers. “He deleted the tweet, and a person with knowledge of Howard’s reaction told Southern California News Group at the time that he was sorely disappointed with an apparent miscommunication with the team. He signed with Philadelphia instead.”

Howard, 35, will start his third stint of the his career with the Lakers this upcoming season.

The veteran played a sturdy role on the Lakers’ 2020 title team in the NBA bubble in Orlando, Fla. In fact, the journeyman started in seven games during the team’s 2020 playoff run.

Of course, things didn’t work out with Howard and and the Lakers the ensuing offseason. The eight-time All-Star was irate that he wasn’t able to help the Lakers defend their title.

The center spent the entire 2020-21 campaign with the Sixers. He averaged 7.0 points and 8.4 boards per game last season. However, the 76ers lost to the young Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the 2021 playoffs.

Howard has career averages of 16.2 points, 12.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.