Dwight Howard and his legacy in Los Angeles is difficult, however one chapter nonetheless stings for the previous Lakers champion.
The eight-time All-NBA heart revealed he was left shocked and disenchanted when the staff determined to not convey him again after the 2020 title run.
In a brand new interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Howard defined how he thought he was returning, till the deal disappeared.
“I used to be instructed that there was a contract after which I used to be so blissful that I heard I used to be coming again, I tweeted about it and my agent known as me again and stated, ‘Hey. The Lakers took the contract off the desk. You gotta take that tweet down.’ I used to be like, ‘Rattling! Why would they try this?’” Howard stated. “And it actually sort of messed with me as a result of I’m like, ‘I got here in with the best perspective in direction of successful, not anxious about factors, rebounds… simply anxious about us successful one other championship,’ and so many individuals made a giant emphasis on me worrying about factors and all that stuff which I believe all gamers wish to get out within the recreation and rating and be efficient.”
With the Lakers not an possibility, Howard signed a one-year minimal deal to again up Joel Embiid in Philadelphia.
“So, however I used to be extremely upset that I didn’t get an opportunity to compete for a title protection as a result of I believed that we had a particular staff and we had a window the place we might’ve received and been to the NBA Finals a number of years,” he defined.
Howard, who performed three separate stints in L.A., was a vital reserve in the course of the Lakers’ 2019-20 championship season. Throughout 69 common season video games, he averaged 7.5 factors on 72.9 % taking pictures, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in slightly below 19 minutes per recreation. He even completed ninth in Sixth Man of the 12 months voting, proving how impactful he was off the bench.
Howard finally returned to Los Angeles in 2021-22, however by then the roster development had shifted, and the Lakers didn’t make the playoffs.
READ MORE: Isiah Thomas Tells Draymond the Harsh Reality About Golden State