Los Angeles Lakers: Do yourself a favor and sign Dwight Howard!

The Los Angeles Lakers have been granted permission to talk to Dwight Howard and they’d be doing themselves a big favor adding the former All-Star.

As a writer, you never want to write about any player on the Los Angeles Lakers going down with a possible season-ending injury. But it happened and it’s on to the keyboard to find options.

DeMarcus Cousins sent the NBA family in a sorrowful state tearing his ACL working out this week. Lake Show Life has been all over the story since it broke. Check out the website for all the coverage.

DeMarcus Cousins’ injury really made a profound effect on many. The question about Cousins being able to co-exist with Rajon Rondo and Anthony Davis would have been a great storyline.

Mostly, this is bigger than the Lakers losing a major championship piece. His injury history will be mentioned along the lines of Derrick Rose and especially Isaiah Thomas, who thought the “Brinks Truck” was being backed up in Boston.

Just look at what Boogie Cousins has lost in the last two years alone.

Well, now the Los Angeles Lakers have to make some moves because no matter how anyone spins it, DeMarcus Cousins is a huge loss.

With Cousins out for at best, the end of the season, JaVale McGee is the only true center on the roster. There are Lakers rumors rampant on how Anthony Davis will be utilized at the 5 spot this season. Guess what? It’s August. Anybody can say anything about any scenario only to find out during the season, things don’t work out as planned.

Anybody remember the plan when LeBron James last offseason was to play off the ball and play the backline? How about the roster full of playmakers instead of shooters? That lasted say 25 games? That will be about as long as Anthony Davis will play along until he changes his mind.

That is why the Los Angeles Lakers should take the chance and sign Dwight Howard to a one-year deal for the minimum. I know what most of the Lakers Nation is thinking.

This dude is nuts. He has no clue about what the Lakers need. Was he even around to see what happened the last time Howard played for the Lakers in 2012-13?  Now it seems that the Lakers are seriously interested, according to Rohan Nadkarni of SI.

That is why the Los Angeles Lakers not only should pick him up, but know they have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

Many fans want Kenneth Faried as the player to replace DeMarcus Cousins, but let’s see why Dwight Howard is the better option.

Anthony Davis can actually use Howard’s services on and off the court.

What Howard can do for Davis off the court.

When the trade for Anthony Davis was completed, many compared the scenario to the Dwight Howard deal back in the 2012-13 season. Many took the comparisons out of context. But there are some similarities that really need to be looked at.

Sure there is the contract issue with the possibility of Anthony Davis leaving after this season (Sure. I’ve heard about the New York rumors! Not happening folks!) like Dwight Howard did, but there are other important similarities.

Anthony Davis really has no idea what he is getting himself into playing with a superstar like LeBron James and playing for one of the most iconic teams in sports. The pressure will be enormous. Sure, the excitement is palpable now. But let’s see how things are if the Lakers start out slowly at the beginning of the season. It might be tough for Davis to handle.

Dwight Howard can guide Anthony Davis from the 500 pitfalls he fell into years ago.

He recently gave Davis some advice via Arash Markazi of the Los Angeles Times.

"“I would tell him to just enjoy the moment and enjoy this season,” “So there were some positives. We just didn’t win that season, and that’s what happens when you play basketball. Things may look good, but injuries and other issues may happen and things might not work out, but I still had a good time in L.A.”"

Dwight is right about those injuries. Howard never recovered from the herniated disc surgery he had before joining the Lakers. Steve Nash, who was brought in to run Mike D’Antoni‘s offense, broke his leg in the second game of the season. Then Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles at the end of the season from being overworked.

What Howard can do for Davis on the court.

If you really think that Anthony Davis wants to play center for no more than spot duty,  you haven’t been paying attention.

It’s easy to say things in a business suit that is polite as opposed to the grind of an NBA season. Furthermore, it would not be smart to put AD’s body through an unnecessary grind when you don’t have to.

Dwight Howard can be the primary backup to JaVale McGee and play the minutes Tyson Chandler did when the Lakers were struggling early last year with rim protection when McGee sat.

Not convinced yet Lakers fans? Keep reading. Let’s move on.

Dwight Howard lost a lot of money and his reputation leaving the Los Angeles Lakers.

Sure it’s easy to spend other people’s money so to speak, but $30 million dollars is still $30 million dollars. The Los Angeles Lakers had made it clear that they planned to offer Dwight Howard a 5-year, $118 million dollar contract. The red carpet was rolled out and the plan was to have Howard follow in line with the other all-time great Lakers big men.

Only one thing; Dwight Howard turned it down to sign a four-year, $88 million dollar contract with the Houston Rockets. That move resonates to Lakers fans to this day to the point that this article was written with extreme care.

The amount of animosity towards Dwight Howard was evident when Cari Champion, the host of the now-canceled SportsNation on ESPN absolutely lit him up on air. I saw it live and was shocked.

Then there were the rumors that Dwight Howard left the Lakers because of his relationship with Kobe Bryant. The Mamba put a label on Howard that stuck to this day. I mean Twitter has a “MEME” in the soft section where Kobe called him soft!

Years later, Dwight Howard understands the “Mamba Mentality” and is grateful to Kobe Bryant for doing it.

Now, it is understood that Dwight Howard is looking for his eighth team in the last nine years. The Houston Rockets move was a bad move. But let’s look at it this way.

Have you noticed that superstars who play alongside James Harden fall off a cliff career-wise? Think about it. Dwight Howard lasted two years. Then Chris Paul came in and got shipped out after two years. Carmelo Anthony‘s name didn’t get in the computer system before he got let go. Coincidence?

On the other side, Dwight Howard was the first of many free agents that the Lakers would strike out on the last two years of Kobe Bryant’s career. The narrative then was Kobe Bryant was difficult to play with and no other superstar wanted to play with him. Man, this reminds me of another current Lakers superstar.

This superstar, being LeBron James, will be an easier task for Dwight Howard.

LeBron James’ personality will work out better for Dwight Howard than Kobe Bryant.

Let’s get this out-of-the-way early. This is not a G.O.A.T. conversation between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Kobe Bryant is the better player. With that statement out-of-the-way, Let’s all get back to our scheduled article. 

We all know that Kobe Bryant had that killer mentality to win at all costs. The only other player that was as maniacal over winning championships was Michael Jordan. Dwight Howard really did not understand the responsibilities and pressure of playing at a high level to please Bryant.

Kobe Bryant wanted execution in practice, games, film study everything. Improving his game was everything to him and he expected the same from Howard.

He didn’t get it. Whether it was injuries or lack of work ethic, Dwight Howard’s game never went to the next level. Kobe Bryant may have called him soft, but when “The Captain”, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar talks, people listen.

He basically foretold Howard’s downturn as soon as he left for Houston.

"Dwight Howard is a perfect example of the fact that “potential has a shelf life.” Laker fans should be patient and allow Mitch & company to prepare themselves to do some serious work in the free agent market."

Then he went on First Take and eloquently stated that Dwight Howard’s game needs work.

Now you ask, what can LeBron James do with Dwight Howard?

It’s really simple. LeBron James does an outstanding job of making people comfortable by way of being light-hearted and not as serious as Kobe Bryant. Instead of seeing Kobe Bryant look at him like 5-day old sour milk, LeBron James will be much more encouraging.

Plus, Dwight Howard’s role with this team will change dramatically this time around. Dwight Howard was supposed to be the face of the franchise back in 2012-13. His stints in Orlando and L.A. shows that he can’t handle that type of responsibility.

On offense, put him in pick and roll situations and have him look for the lob over the top. On defense, have him rim protect and rebound. He knows this is his last chance in the NBA and he will be well-behaved if the Los Angeles Lakers do this.

Have a sit-down meeting and hand him a one-year NON GUARANTEED contract.

Do you think you would hand Dwight Howard a guaranteed contract with his history? This is how the Los Angeles Lakers should really handle this situation. It’s not like Lake Show Life hasn’t done this before. 

First, the Lakers would bring Dwight Howard and his representatives in for a meeting. Then listen to what Howard says about what he can bring to the Lakers. He will sound very polite and he will be charming.

Then say that you don’t believe him. Then have him explain why he’s out of the NBA and why he changes teams like LeBron James changes sneakers.

Then he’ll ask for a chance to prove himself. Then the Lakers hand him a one-year contract at the veteran’s minimum and tell him it’s not guaranteed. Make it clear that he has to work his way up the ladder from the bottom. He has to win over his coaches, teammates and especially the fans.

Now, why do we do this you ask?

Well, let’s say that this does not work out. The Lakers can drop him at any time. Remember the contract can be voided. The Lakers have all the power. Plus he can be used as a trade chip around December 15th when more options open up around the league.

The tactic will motivate Dwight Howard into playing any role that is required. Like it or not, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and company can get some production out of him for the 10-15 minutes that Howard is on the floor.

If LeBron James can command enough attention to make Ivica Zubac a serviceable player, what do you think he could do for Howard? Plus the Lakers don’t have to pay $28 million dollars over the next four years.

Los Angeles Lakers fans have a major bone to pick with Dwight Howard. Research for this piece shows that they have a point. But if the franchise and the fan base are serious about finding a replacement for DeMarcus Cousins.

Dwight Howard is it, whether you like him or not.