Former Lakers Center Makes Compelling Case For OKC Thunder to Sign Him

Former Lakers center makes his case for the Oklahoma City Thunder to sign him.

Apr 14, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of the Los Angeles Lakers logo on the shorts of forward LeBron James (23) against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Lakers star center and champion Dwight Howard is a free agent. Howard has done his best to endorse himself to any team that wants him, and he did just that in his recent appearance on Kevin Garnett's show, "KG Certified." 

Garnett was listing the injuries to the Oklahoma City Thunder big men, including Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Before Garnett could finish what he had to say, Howard interrupted him and went on a tangent about why the Thunder needed to sign him. 

🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️ @okcthunder ⁰⁰Dwight Howard is game-ready 👀

Stay on the lookout for more from Ticket & @DwightHoward: https://t.co/hKGMgsx9eY pic.twitter.com/a2vb0Yu96e

— All the Smoke Productions (@allthesmokeprod) November 14, 2024

“OKC, ya boy is ready. What’s happening? Y’all need a big," Howard said on KG Certified. "Y'all need a vet. Y'all need somebody that's gonna bring some energy. I ain't got nothing to do neither; I just got finished dancing. ... I'd go to OKC right now. ... Two-year [deal], let me finish out. We get y'all a championship and maybe another one."

Howard also mentioned winning a championship with Alex Caruso, who is currently with the Thunder. Howard and Caruso were instrumental in bringing a championship to Los Angeles in the 2019-20 season. 

Howard is only four days removed from being eliminated from this season of Dancing With the Stars. The 38-year-old showed that he still has a ton of energy to play with and can be a bruiser, as he's been his entire NBA career. 

Howard last played in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2021-22 season. After that, he joined Taiwan's T1 League. The 38-year-old sounds like he wants to return to the NBA.

Howard is a future Hall of Famer, and there are plenty of teams that could use his services, including the Lakers. 

L.A. is down only two big men, superstar Anthony Davis and two-way center Christian Koklo. The Lakers are without Jaxson Hayes due to a left ankle injury and Christian Wood as he experienced soreness in his surgically repaired left knee and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. 

Howard may be on the older side, but he can certainly help out a team like maybe the Lakers or even the Thunder.

The Thunder are starting Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Jalen Williams in the frontcourt with Holmgren out. 

Holmgren sustained a right iliac wing fracture and will be out for eight to 10 weeks. As for Hartenstein, he will miss another one or two weeks after suffering a "small, non-displaced" left hand fracture. 

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