Dwight Howard came up short as the Los Angeles Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs. With Howard managing only seven points and eight rebounds in the teams final game and his contract coming to an end, questions are beginning to surface regarding Howard’s future in Los Angeles.
Howard lost his cool in the last game of the tournament, throwing an elbow for a technical foul followed by a second consecutive found that sent him to the locker room.
After his bad performance, Dwight Howard said:
“It’s like a nightmare. It’s like a bad dream and we couldn’t wake up out of it. That’s what it felt like. It seemed like nothing could go right, right from the start, injuries and all that stuff. We get an opportunity to get some rest for guys who are injured. A chance to rehab and think about what we can all do to better ourselves.”
When asked if he hoped for a return to the Lakers next season, Howard said: “You’re reading too much into it.”
Admitting that he needs some time to decompress, Howard revealed:
“I’m going to step away from everything for a couple of weeks. I’m going to clear my head before I do or talk about anything as far as next season. I think I deserve that and that’s what I’m going to do.”
The Dwight Howard saga has led to many unresolved questions about Kobe Bryant’s future and the hiring of Mike D’Antoni. With Pau Gasol not being utilized early-on and Howard not living up to his potential, the Laker’s insistence that he was the “man for the job” may have been incorrect.
Dwight Howard was acquired in an attempt to find the clubs next face of the franchise. Whether or not a new “face of the franchise” search will be underway is anyone’s guess at this time.
Do you think the Los Angeles Lakers will continue support for Dwight Howard?
