The 2020 L.A. Lakers are a team nobody will be forgetting any time soon. With LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and head coach Frank Vogel, they were able to capture the franchise’s 17th title in a season with unprecedented challenges.
Unfortunately, the summer following their Championship, the Purple and Gold decided to move some pieces, leaving behind some guys who were a big part of their success.
Dwight Howard was one of those and signed with the Sixers that offseason.
In light of what happened during the 2021 campaign, the Lakers are getting the old band back together again, starting with Dwight, who they just brought back.
https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1422345783433695238
Just minutes after the news broke, Dwight couldn’t help but share his enthusiasm online. He posted the following message on Instagram:
Let’s run it back #Iwantmyparadedammit
Dwight said I WANT MY PARADE DAMNIT 😤 pic.twitter.com/oDo5rtbRBz
— Overtime (@overtime) August 3, 2021
After letting Dwight walk in free agency, the Lakers were unable to replace his presence around the rim. As a result, their defense and rebounding suffered as guys like Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell failed to fill Dwight’s shoes.
As for Howard, he spent last season as a backup to Joel Embiid, snagging about 17 minutes per game in a relatively minor role.
Back in L.A., he’ll be asked to provide some essential services for the team and will likely start alongside Anthony Davis in the frontcourt.
In the end, it’s a welcome reunion and one that’s mutually beneficial for both sides.
