Los Angeles Lakers: Dwight Howard talks about challenges of his return

Arguably the best signing for the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason was bringing Dwight Howard back. While Howard has been great, it was a huge adjustment.

This offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers were able to completely reshape their roster from the year before. The first season of LeBron James in Los Angeles was a failure with them missing the playoffs.

While having one of the best players in the game, the Lakers didn’t want to waste any more time with James, as they first pulled off a huge blockbuster deal with the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis.

The trade for Davis resulted in the Lakers having a lot of open roster spots, as they moved most of their young core to get him. With a good amount of cap space, the Lakers rounded out the team with a lot of veterans who have had success in the NBA.

One of the signings for the Lakers was bringing in Dwight Howard. After DeMarcus Cousins tore his ACL in a summer workout, the Lakers were left with limited options for a big man with free agency all but over.

However, they decided to reunite with Howard after a bad first impression. Recently, Howard talked about coming back to Los Angeles and the challenges on an IG Live with Jared Dudley. Here’s what Howard had to say with text via SilverScreenAndRoll.com

"“It’s hard. It was hard at first, having to accept it and letting all that stuff go, but once I did it, it was like the best thing in the world. It’s like freedom.”"

For Howard, accepting this new role on the Lakers surely had to be difficult. Not too long ago, Howard was one of the best centers in the NBA. However, the past few years had not been kind to Howard on the injury front or in the locker room. Howard’s reputation around the league became poor, and the Lakers didn’t even give him a guaranteed deal.

With his career on the line, Howard got his act together this season for the Lakers. Howard was willing to come off the bench for Los Angeles, and it has become a role that he has thrived in. The combination of Howard and JaVale McGee has given the Lakers a steady force in the middle all season and has given Howard’s name a new reputation.

Even though Howard’s first stint with the Lakers did not end well at all, he has redeemed himself this season. Hopefully, the NBA can resume and Howard can get that ring he has been seeking.