1. Dwight Howard – 2012-13 season
April 12, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) walks off the court at the end of the game against the Golden State Warriors at the Staples Center. Lakers won 118-116. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Last years’ free agent signing of Dwight Howard by the Los Angeles Lakers was supposed to be the start of the new era that would carry the franchise to another dynasty.
Howard was supposed to succeed Kobe Bryant as the superstar and become the face of the franchise for years to come.
What it ended becoming was an unmitigated disaster.
While Howard played well despite recovering from off-season back surgery and struggling with injuries, his season will be most remembered for his moping about being a Laker, bickering about his role and shots to the media and troubles with playing along side the alpha personality of Kobe Bryant.
Howard’s only season with the Lakers ended with a disappointing first round series sweep to the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs. Following the season Howard rejects the Lakers campaign to re-sign him that included hanging a massive banner from Staples Center pleading him to stay.
Howard is our pick for the hardest to believe he was ever a Laker. In Howard’s case, it not because it is actually hard to believe that he was a Laker, but because we all want to believe so bad that he never was.
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