The Los Angeles Lakers have a concerning lack of depth in their frontcourt, especially after dealing Anthony Davis in exchange for superstar guard Luka Doncic.
The Lakers swiftly looked to fill this void with Charlotte Hornets’ Mark Williams, but the trade was rescinded, leading them to add Alex Len in free agency. While Len is a serviceable big man, he alone cannot bolster a championship-level center rotation.
This is why CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn analyzed a handful of options for the Lakers this offseason, including former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton. However, Quinn threw in an interesting nugget about LA potentially reuniting with NBA champion and former Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard, who the CBS journalist believes may not be all that different in skill level.
“Ayton is an impending free agent who, despite his words, needs to prove himself to the NBA again if he wants another payday, and as bad as things have looked at times, he was once an absolutely critical part of an NBA Finalist in Phoenix,” Quinn wrote.
Howard last played for the Lakers in 2022, where he averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds on 61.2% shooting. He’s remained in shape, however, appearing for the Taoyuan Leopards and Taiwan Mustangs in Taiwan in 2023 and 2024.
When comparing the cost to bring in Ayton and Howard, it’s a no-brainer if the Lakers believe the latter can provide a similar level of production.
“James has a history of rehabilitating flawed but talented players whose careers have fallen off of the rails. Is Ayton really all that different from late-career Dwight Howard?” Quinn wrote. “This would be a low-risk, high-reward swing for the Lakers.”
