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Lakers free agency grades: LA brings back Dwight Howard

By Jason Reed

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: Dwight Howard #39 of the Los Angeles Lakers scores over Jusuf Nurkic #27 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half of Game Three of the first round of the playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers at the AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 22, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: Dwight Howard #39 of the Los Angeles Lakers scores over Jusuf Nurkic #27 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half of Game Three of the first round of the playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers at the AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 22, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers free agency decisions are going to dictate how good the team is going to be in 2021. NBA free agency officially began at 3 p.m. PST on Monday and it did not take the Lakers long to get active in the market.

According to Dwight Howard’s agent, the Lakers are bringing back the former Laker for his third stint with the team. Howard won a championship with the Lakers in 2020 and signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers after what appeared to be a miscommunication.

It was a mistake by the Lakers to not bring Howard back last season and it appears as if Rob Pelinka has recognized that. Howard is back in LA and as with every other Lakers free agency move, we have to grade the signing.

Los Angeles Lakers free agency grade for signing Dwight Howard: A

The center position may not have seemed like the biggest need for the Los Angeles Lakers but it certainly was a need. The biggest need for the team is obviously shooting but with Marc Gasol being the only traditional center on the roster, the Lakers needed an extra body.

Anthony Davis should be playing the five in crunch time for the Lakers this season as the floor spacing with a traditional five and Russell Westbrook on the court would be horrible. So do not expect Howard in any crunch-time situations during the NBA Playoffs.

However, he gives the Lakers the regular-season depth they need. He is going to bring the same rim-protecting and rebounding presence that he brought the team in 2019-2020, which will be even more impactful without JaVale McGee.

Howard was one of the best cheap center options available for the Lakers. He is not that much worse than Andre Drummond and does not have the ego that Drummond had which leads to him wanting to be a more involved part of the offense.

It is a smaller signing but at this point that is what all the Los Angeles Lakers free agency moves are going to be. All the Lakers can really do is sign guys to veteran minimum deals and that is what this is. It is small, but it is impactful as it helps Rob Pelinka build out the rotation.

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This signing gets an A. There definitely were worse paths the Lakers could have went down with the center position and getting Howard out of the options available should be considered a win.

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