Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking the free-agent signings by potential workload

3. Dwight Howard

In terms of overall impact, Dwight Howard will probably have a smaller impact than some of the players already mentioned in this article. However, in terms of workload when we are considering minutes played, Howard ranks third among the new signings for the Lakers.

That is because of the lack of depth at the center position. Anthony Davis will likely play more five with Russell Westbrook now in town and that will help the depth, but overall, the Lakers are not very deep.

The only other center is Marc Gasol, who still has a lot to offer defensively despite what disgruntled fans thought last season but is a zero on the offensive side of the ball. At his age, Gasol likely is not going to play much and is best utilized in spurts. I would project him to average around 16 minutes per game.

There are 48 minutes in a basketball game. If Anthony Davis closes out the last two minutes of the first half and the last four minutes of the game at the center position that leaves 26 minutes for Dwight Howard to play the five.

Howard likely will get somewhere in the 25-minute range next season and he can definitely contribute in that role. He was great for the Lakers playing around 20 minutes per game two seasons ago, what is another five minutes?

That playing time will shrink in the playoffs as the Lakers go smaller with more Davis at center, but in the regular season, Howard will get his minutes in.