Lakers: Dwight Howard’s decision to play elevates championship hopes

Given Dwight Howard’s decision to join the Lakers in Orlando, their odds of winning it all are solid.

Before the coronavirus pandemic took shape, the Los Angeles Lakers were enjoying their best season in a long time. Among the reasons for the team’s great success was a player that used to not be in the good graces of the L.A. faithful: Dwight Howard.

Despite the latter being true, Howard profoundly changed the trajectory of the Lakers this year. He proved to be much more of an asset to the squad than the liability he was oftentimes accused of in the past.

On that note, the Lakers were delivered with a scoop of positive news on Monday when the center announced that he would be joining the team in the Orlando bubble. Dave McMenamin of ESPN transmitted the news, as Howard initially revealed his decision to CNN’s Don Lemon.

Per the same report, Howard mentioned the contractual side of the equation in his decision. At the same time, the big man also talked about the bigger picture and that his efforts in Orlando will go beyond basketball.

"“I have a contractual obligation to my teammates, to my fans, the Lakers, the organization and everyone, but at the same time, I also have an obligation to my family and to my community,” Howard said. “We will be getting a lot of work done here in Atlanta and around the nation as far as making sure people don’t forget about us and what’s going on in our communities.”"

Given his decision, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year will be doing his part to get the best of both worlds in a sense. To go along with helping the Lakers out, he intends to donate the rest of his salary to his charitable cause called Breathe Again. He later reiterated that he does not want people to forget about the bigger issues going on, hence his decision to make the donation.

Howard’s recent announcement put a sweeping aura of speculation to an abrupt halt. Contrary to what is now the case, many folks believed Howard would not join the Lakers in Orlando.

Via Sam Quinn of CBS Sports, the seasoned veteran was originally unsure of a return because he thought basketball would divert too much attention away from the prevalent social justice issues going on. Let alone that factor, there was another reason as to why Howard was seriously considering not traveling to Orlando.

According to the same report, the mother of Howard’s six-year-old boy, Melissa Rios, passed away in March because of an epileptic seizure. Therefore, Howard has been watching over his son in light of the circumstances.

Certainly, it would have made plenty of sense if the 34-year-old opted to not join the Lakers. The world is going through unprecedented times and the additional family matter is nothing to take lightly. Thus, it is admirable that the center is going to be playing hoops in the near future.

Nevertheless, it would have definitely been a major blow if Howard decided to not suit up in Orlando.

As Ron Gutterman of Lakers Nation reminded us, too, guard Avery Bradley is not going to be playing later this month. Part of his rationale is due to the social justice component, but Bradley is also worried about the health of his kid as well.

Bradley’s decision in itself proved to be a hit to the team. His dog-like defensive intensity and veteran presence proved to be invaluable to the Lakers this season. Thus, losing Howard as well would have been even more nail-biting, to say the least.

However, the fact that Howard is officially joining the Lakers in Florida elevates their odds of winning a title for sure. He gives their bench much added depth and gives them the equivalent of a three-headed monster in the paint.

Supplemented by Anthony Davis and JaVale McGee, Howard was a key cog in making the Lakers’ defense elite this season. The trio combined to average a little over five blocks per night for the Lakers, a tantalizing figure. No other team in the NBA has three guys that can rim protect at that level on a consistent basis.

On account of that, I would argue it gives the Lakers a tremendous advantage moving forward. Davis alone is a monster defensively, but when McGee and an athletic, bulky Howard are also considered, the Lakers are going to be a tough out.

At the end of the day, it gives the Lakers multiple options and will hopefully allow for there to be energy conservation. The playoffs represent a higher brand of basketball, and in having extra bodies down low, the Lakers are every bit as covered in that regard.

In terms of Howard specifically, it is also worth bearing in mind the following. The big fella has actually managed to post his highest defensive box plus-minus, 1.4, since 2011-12. That is an impressive number and while he may not be as good as he once was, it further validates that he was not a bad acquisition.

He has been no slouch in cleaning up the glass, either. Before the virus shut down the league, Howard was collecting 7.4 boards a night in less than 20 minutes of action. Spanned over 36 minutes, that would amount to 13.8 per game, which is actually 0.6 rebounds higher than his career average.

Moreover, it is worth noting his contributions on the other end of the hardwood. Albeit most of his shots come within a few feet of the rim, Dwight’s field goal percentage is through the roof at 73.2 percent. Only one player in basketball has a higher tally in this department: Mitchell Robinson.

Sure, Howard may not get as many touches as he once did. In spite of that, knowing that he is going to find ways to get easy deuces when those opportunities come is a major asset to the Lakers.

It is also important to be mindful of the fact that Howard has not been a distraction to the team. Unlike previous seasons, he has put aside his old ways and really become a team player. It was a gamble when L.A. signed him last summer, but he has been anything but a distraction to the organization.

The team in general had great chemistry all year and there was never a story published about some internal issue with the team. That is a rarity in itself, and in consideration of that, Dwight obviously did not stir the pot like he has with other teams.

In the grand scheme of things, Howard matured this season and was arguably the Lakers’ best bench performer. Assuming he can continue where he left off, the Lakers’ chances of winning it all are strong.

Suffice to say, this was a determining factor in his decision to play. Via the McMenamin piece, Howard said he feels his team has a good chance to do something special.

"“I feel like we have a great opportunity, the Lakers do, for winning a title this year,” Howard said."

Howard’s words ring true provided that the Lakers and many folks even outside of Southern California believe L.A.’s odds are high. The Lakers have not won it all in a decade and provided what occurred in late January, they should be extra motivated to play excellent basketball.

Time will tell what the future holds, but the Lakers are certainly a better group with Dwight Howard. Years ago, that was a different story perhaps but not anymore. He is not the superstar he once was, but this version of Dwight Howard is exactly what the doctor ordered.