Report: Golden State Warriors to go after Dwight Howard in free agency

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard had a solid comeback 2019-20 season for the team, but a new report indicates that the Lakers could be competing with the Golden State Warriors for his services in free agency.

Shams Charania of The Athletic assessed possible roster moves for the Lakers and other teams, with Howard’s free agency one of the topics.

“Dwight Howard, who was a pillar to the frontcourt this season, and the Lakers have mutual interest in a deal,” Charania wrote. “Among the contenders also expected to have interest in Howard, sources say: The Golden State Warriors.”

Howard will turn 35 in December and offered the Lakers effective play on the court after having seen his career decline over the past few seasons.

The 2019-20 season’s statistical numbers for Howard weren’t especially notable, as he primarily came off the bench during the regular campaign.

However, during the Lakers’ postseason, Howard started the last two games of the Western Conference finals and the first five games of the NBA Finals.

When Howard joined the starting lineup in Game 4 of the conference finals against the Denver Nuggets, the eight-time All-Star delivered a double-double performance with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The Warriors are seeking to get back to their previous level, when they captured three NBA titles over a five-year span, reaching the finals in each season. An injury-plagued campaign played a part in their disastrous NBA-worst 15-50 record.