Former Lakers Center Dwight Howard Agrees to Contract with Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan
Dwight Howard is on the move again.
The big man announced he will play overseas for the Taoyuan Leopards in Taiwan.
Howard, 36, was one of many Los Angeles Lakers to have a tough 2021-22 season. After winning a title with the team in the 2019-20 campaign, Howard spent a season as Joel Embiid's backup in Philadelphia before returning to the Lakers.
But his third stint in L.A.—who could forget his disastrous 2012-13 cameo?—didn't go as planned. Howard averaged just 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in 60 appearances (27 starts), and the Lakers had a minus-5.7 net rating with him on the court that improved to minus-1.9 when he sat, per NBA.com.
Howard was hardly the main issue in Los Angeles. Any other number of factors—poor roster construction that left the team devoid of solid perimeter defenders and shooters, injuries to superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook's awful fit and even worse form—were far higher on the list than Howard's mediocre play.
Relying on players like Howard, however, was one of the issues in the 2021-22 season for the Lakers. He is a long way off from being the player who was an eight-time All-Star in his prime.
It is perhaps telling from both the player and team perspective, however, that he won't be returning to the Lakers.
Instead, he will be playing overseas.
