Dwight Howard opened up about his departure from the Lakers, sharing insights on his experience and what led to the decision to leave.
Let me tell you one thing upfront: if you’re a Lakers fan like me, then you know that the name Dwight Howard comes attached to a burden of what-ifs, victories, and yeah, heartbreak. It’s not a tale of a player bolting a team. It’s one of timing, legacy, and how one man’s journey tracked the rollercoaster of Lakers history.
Dwight Howard spoke out on his Lakers departure, and it’s churning all sorts of emotions for him, fans, and me, a person who never really reconciled how it all happened. Let’s retrace the highs, the lows, and everything in between, because, trust me, there’s more to it than box scores and salary cap figures. Staying motivated through this journey means understanding the full picture and embracing all the moments that shaped it.
Article Breakdown
The First Stint: Big Hopes, Big Disappointment (2012-2013)
In order to best understand Dwight’s latest tirade, we need to rewind. In 2012, the Lakers signed Dwight Howard in what seemed like a blockbuster deal designed to launch them back into title status. On paper: a dream come true. Reality: a nightmare.
Injuries, locker room strife, and a lack of chemistry took what had the potential to be a dynasty and made it a mess. Howard and Kobe never gelled. Pressure was immense, and to be blunt, he wasn’t ready for it. So when Dwight departed the Lakers in 2013, there was a cloud of disappointment surrounding the whole scenario. And as it happens, he does regret it , deeply.
“One of the largest career regrets was leaving in 2013,” Howard conceded in a recent sit-down interview. “I was letting external noise and aggravation get in my head.”
Watching that season in close detail, I recall it was as if something simply didn’t fit. It was jamming a square peg into a round hole. Dwight understandably wanted to dominate, yet the situation , injuries, media scrutiny, and Kobe’s alpha presence , made it almost impossible. Dwight Howard opened up about his departure from the Lakers during the same interview, further explaining that he wished he had remained and learned through the adversity rather than quitting.
Redemption: The 2019-2020 Championship Season
Flash forward to 2019. Dwight came back to the Lakers , humble now, single-minded, and willing to accept a supporting role. And man, he did not disappoint. He was not the featured man anymore, yet he didn’t need to be. He was okay with doing the gritty stuff: rolling bone-jarring screens, fighting in the post, and guarding the rim as if his life was on the line.
Don’t forget that 2020 Western Conference Finals series against the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokić, most gifted big man in the game, had his match. Dwight got in his head, was physical, and disrupted his rhythm.
Game 4? Dwight had a double-double that aided in the Lakers taking a 3-1 lead.
Game 5? Nine points, nine rebounds, and two blocks to seal it.
Dwight Howard opened up about his departure from the Lakers as he looked back on the championship victory, noting how it made him appreciate what he could bring even in a restricted capacity.
The 2020 Offseason: The One Regret That Still Hurts
If there is one 2020 offseason regret, it is bringing back Dwight Howard. I’ll die on that hill.
They really forget how crucial he was to that championship team. You need somebody to complement Anthony Davis? Dwight was that dude. A bruiser. An ELITE rim protector. Someone you need in the playoffs when finesse becomes a downtown street fight.
And yeah, I get it , the Lakers opted for Marc Gasol over him. They added spacing and IQ, but not that same kind of toughness. Even reports had them signing both. But somehow, Dwight was the odd man out.
Even to this day, I think that if the Lakers had signed Dwight back in 2021, we’d be writing a different narrative. They had that team loaded on paper , LeBron, AD, and a quality supporting cast , but it was missing that grit, that physicality that Dwight provided.
Dwight Howard opened up about his departure from the Lakers and said that he was bewildered by the lack of clarity during that offseason. He was sincerely of the view that he was coming back.
I mean, look back at how that team broke apart. Aside from injuries, they weren’t the same. They didn’t have that edge. That dog. And Dwight? He was the dog. Particularily in terms of playoff matchups like Denver.
The Overblown Narrative: Did the Lakers Really Blow Up the Core?
Let’s set something straight. Everyone loves to say that the Lakers “blew up a championship core” in 2020. It is not entirely true.
The nucleus of LeBron, AD, Caruso, KCP, Kuzma, Kieff, and THT were there. Of course, there were some vets that departed , foremost among them Danny Green , but come on: those were losses that were acceptable.
The lone loss that wasn’t? Dwight Howard.
He was the type of player that did not appear in highlight reels but had the biggest impact in the trenches. It is impossible to teach that level of physicality, that level of mental strength. You need to have a Dwight on your roster in the playoffs.
Dwight Howard broke his silence on his Lakers’ departure for the second time in a podcast appearance, stressing that he was prepared to head back and was not expecting to be made a pawn.
The 2021 “What If”: A Season That Could’ve Ended Differently
Let’s play the what-if game for a moment.
Had Dwight Howard been signed back in 2021, I really feel that that Lakers team would’ve gone further. Even if he wasn’t playing huge minutes in the early going, he would’ve been invaluable in those big matchups — like Denver, again.
Recall: Dwight wasn’t doing much to begin that 2020 stint either. It wasn’t until the series in Denver that he took off. Occasionally you may not need that guy to play lights-out all year. You might simply need him to bring it when it matters the most.
And to get on Jokic’s nerves? Dwight was in his bag. Jokic is untouchable to most defenders , but Dwight was able to get to him. Rare air.
Dwight Howard broke his silence on his Lakers departure, stating that the series against Denver was evidence of his worth, and that it hurt to be brought back after proving himself.
Personal Reflection: Why This Resonates So Deeply with Me
I’ve been following the Lakers ever since Van Exel and Eddie Jones played for them. I’ve witnessed the glory of the Showtime era, the dynastic dominance of the Kobe-Shaq years, and the agony that followed post-2010. Dwight Howard’s tale touches a chord in me because it encompasses something beyond basketball. It’s one of growth, of redemption, and of learning from your mistakes.
I’ve made choices in my own life where I quit too soon or walked away too quickly because it was getting uncomfortable. And like Dwight, I catch myself looking back and wondering what might’ve happened if I had persevered. Which is precisely why it was moved me so deeply to see him look back on his Lakers experience so candidly.
We all need a second opportunity every now and then , and Dwight took full advantage of his.
Dwight Howard opened up about his departure from the Lakers and as someone who’s had a couple of premature departures of my own, every sentence struck a chord.
Legacy Check: What Will We Remember About Dwight Howard?
So how do we, the fans, recall Dwight Howard?
For me, he is more than the player who did not click with Kobe in 2013. To me, he is 2020’s redemption tale. The veteran that swallowed his ego, took a subordinate role, and assisted bringing banner #17 to the rafters.
He’s the one that shut down Jokic prior to the rest of the league discovering that was even feasible. The quintessential role player turned missing piece.
It’s easy to forget how important he was. But the fact remains, Dwight Howard was precisely what the Lakers needed , twice. And the regret is his, as well as ours.
Dwight Howard spoke about his stint in the Lakers again in a new interview, stating that he wants fans to recall not only how he arrived, but also how he departed.
Key Takings:
- Dwight Howard’s Lakers saga is a reminder that life’s career path is nonlinear. It twists and turns, smashes, and sometimes, if you get your wish, comes full circle.
- He wishes he had stayed in 2013. The Lakers may wish that they had brought him back in 2020. And the fans? We wish it had lasted longer.
- But in that one phenomenal 2020 season, Dwight did get it right. He executed his role flawlessly. And for one moment, it all came together. Perhaps that’s all you can expect.
- So to Dwight , the misunderstood hero, the unlikely star, the champion that eventually found his niche.
- And if nothing else, let’s never forget: Dwight Howard opened up about his departure from the Lakers , and in doing that, reminded everyone that even superstars have regrets, and even regrets can be redeemed.
Additional Resources:
- Bleacher Report: In this article, Howard explains that he viewed James Harden as a younger version of Kobe Bryant, which influenced his decision to leave the Lakers for the Rockets in 2013.
- Lakers Nation: Howard reflects on his 2013 free agency decision, expressing regret over leaving Kobe Bryant and the Lakers for James Harden and the Rockets.
- Silver Screen and Roll: This piece discusses Howard’s admission of regret regarding his departure from the Lakers after just one season in 2013.
- Basketball Network: Howard compares playing with James Harden and Kobe Bryant, revealing that he mistakenly saw Harden as a younger Bryant, which influenced his decision to leave the Lakers.
