NBA Rumors: Troubled star Dwight Howard wants to play with LeBron James and LA Lakers once again

Dwight Howard played for the Taoyuan Leopards of the T1 League in Taiwan last season. However, the Leopards offered him a new contract that required him to take a huge pay cut. The latest NBA rumors suggest that Howard wants to play for the LA Lakers once again.

According to Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson of Bally Sports, Howard would like to team up with LeBron James for his fourth stint in Hollywood. He played one season for the Lakers in 2013, 2020 and 2022.

Howard won his lone NBA championship with the Lakers in 2020 inside the bubble in Orlando. He last played in the league in 2022, where he averaged career lows across the board, including 6.2 points in 16.2 minutes per game.

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It's certainly possible for Dwight Howard to return to the LA Lakers considering that they still need an additional big man. The Lakers have been linked with Christian Wood, but several other teams are also interested in him.

Howard also has a contract dispute with the Taoyuan Leopards. He told TVBS News in Taiwan that the Leopards offered him a contract with a 65.0% pay cut.

"I was offered a contract which was 65% less than what they gave me the first time I came to Taiwan," Howard said.

"And I felt that was very disrespectful. I felt like I brought value to the team. I was very disappointed. I felt like I deserved more. Everything that I did was to represent the Leopards at their best."

Despite Howard's presence for the Leopards, they finished bottom of the T1 League with a record of 6-24. His reported salary for last season was around $1 million.

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Dwight Howard facing lawsuit from Stephen Harper

Dwight Howard during his time with the LA Lakers.

Dwight Howard might be interested in taking his talents back to Hollywood, but he's facing legal trouble.

A man named Stephen Harper has reportedly filed a lawsuit against Howard, accusing him of assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment, as per Radar Online.

Harper claimed that Howard forced him to have a sexual three-way with a man named Kitty who dressed up like a woman. The incident allegedly happened on July 19, 2021, in the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year's home in Atlanta, Georgia.

It should be noted that it's not the first time a man has filed a lawsuit against Howard.

A gay man named Masin Elije also filed the same thing in 2018. Elije even claimed that he was in a relationship with Howard but broke it off when he found out about his infidelity with a transgender woman.

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