Lakers: It could be difficult to re-sign Dwight Howard this offseason.
The Lakers demonstrated that they are a legitimate title contender by defeating the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers prior to the league being banned.
Their success this season may be attributed in large part to the decisions they made throughout the summer. In addition to their major trade for Anthony Davis, the Lakers made a number of other excellent but less consequential decisions.
One of the summer changes that proved to be beneficial for the Lakers was Dwight Howard’s singing. They gambled on Howard for a second stay in Los Angeles after DeMarcus Cousins suffered an ACL tear in the summer.
It was astonishing to see Howard return, given how poorly things had gone the previous time around. But Howard was a modest man, willing to give things another go. He got that from Los Angeles, and the two have been a wonderful fit.
Howard has been a very motivated player for the squad this season off the bench, giving Los Angeles excellent rebounding and defence. Howard has been a steal for them, earning only the veteran’s minimum.
But Howard will be a free agency again this year, so the Lakers will have to make a difficult decision. The Lakers may not have a lot of money this summer because Anthony Davis is probably going to sign a huge deal and because there are a few other players who have player options.
Howard is definitely worthy of more than just a veteran minimum because of his excellent play. Nonetheless, Howard can feel devoted to the Lakers and offer them a little discount because they provided him an opportunity to revive his career.
Even though the Lakers’ summer is far off, the front office will still need to plan ahead for it. It would be good to retain Howard for the upcoming campaign given he has been a vital member of the club this year.
