"Do I want to come back? Why would I want to leave?" - Multiple DPOY winner wants to continue his career with LA Lakers despite poor season

Dwight Howard’s career with the LA Lakers has taken a rocky trajectory over the years. His first stint in the late Kobe Bryant era was one where things didn’t go his way. Howard failed to display the commitment needed to win the championship, leaving Bryant displeased with his efforts.

Dwight Howard returned to the LA Lakers in the 2019-20 season, having been a dominant force in their campaign. He was crucial to the team’s success in the playoffs, which resulted in them winning the 2020 NBA Finals.

The following season, Dwight Howard was shown the door – only to make a return on a veteran stacked team alongside LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis in 2021. Despite being involved in a failed experiment by the Lakers organization, Dwight Howard is determined to run it back.

In his exit interview, Dwight Howard opened up about how much he loved playing in LA:

“Do I want to come back? Why would I want to leave? I want to be cemented somewhere. I love being here, I love the fans... I would just really like an opportunity to where I can really go out and go out with a bang.”

Dwight Howard has played 60 games this season, averaging just 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds. His defensive contributions were subpar, an indication of age catching up to the 36-year-old. Amidst a season of role changes, Howard struggled to find consistency to make an effective contribution.

Howard acknowledged the time he has left in the league:

“I’ve only got a couple years left, so I want an opportunity where I can go out and show my skills and talent and do it in the right way, but also win. I feel like I deserve that.”

While Howard is still a reliable player who can induce energy into the game, the LA Lakers will look to solidify their roster strength in the center position. The franchise needs to be able to gage how much they can get out of the veteran and fit him in as a back-up center if possible.

Howard went on to mention that he would love another opportunity, while being thankful for the chances he had this season:

“Well obviously I personally still feel like I can do more and bring more, just given the opportunity. But I’m grateful that I had another opportunity to come back here and play here in L.A. I know it didn’t end the way that we all hoped for and expected it to, but looking back on this season and there’s a lot to be very thankful for. I thought we ended the season yesterday with some really good energy.”

The LA Lakers’ off-season will be decisive in charting out a long-term plan

The LA Lakers are likely to face a challenging off-season, considering the number of decisions that lie ahead. Their Head Coach position needs to be filled after the firing of Frank Vogel, shortly after the regular season wrapped up.

Russell Westbrook’s performance this season was counter-productive to his trade value, and Anthony Davis’ injury trouble is a looming concern. Quite a few old players are likely to be shown the door after the team was exposed on the defensive end.

In the final set of games, few of the youngsters got a chance to show why they should be retained. Austin Reaves, Talen Horton-Tucker and Malik Monk put up strong performances to end the season on a less bitter note.