Los Angeles Lakers: Retroactively grading the 2019 offseason signings
By Jason Reed
Dwight Howard: A+
Dwight Howard was an emergency signing by the Los Angeles Lakers after DeMarcus Cousins tore his ACL in a Las Vegas workout and the team needed depth at the center position. With Anthony Davis letting it be known that he preferred to play the four, the team needed another depth center that could split minutes with JaVale McGee.
There was one big name still on the market: Dwight Howard. Laker fans were reluctant to the idea of Howard suiting up in the purple and gold again. His first stint did not go well in the slightest the second half of his career was him simply bouncing from team to team and not getting away from that locker room distraction narrative.
He has done that for the Lakers this season. The team signed him to a non-guaranteed deal and for the first time in however many promises, Howard actually looked to take basketball more seriously. He seemed to understand that this was his last true shot to prove that he can produce and win a championship, and he has not disappointed.
The ironic part is that Howard is averaging a career-low in points (7.5), rebounds (7.4) and blocks (1.2). The important thing is that he has accepted his role as a depth center and is giving the team quality minutes instead of empty stats for a bad team.
Howard has far exceeded expectations as he has the highest offensive rating of his Hall of Fame career and has his best win shares per 48 minutes since the 2010-2011 season.