This Sunday, Lakers center Dwight Howard will face the Orlando Magic for the first time since getting a coach fired and ultimately being traded. While he obviously wanted out, one has to wonder whether Dwight ever thinks he could have gone about leaving a better way. Ala Chris Paul privately requesting a trade out of New Orleans.
After 8 seasons with the Magic, Dwight recently reflected a bit on his past team.
“I’ve had a chance to sit back and think about it and there are some things I could’ve done better. There are some things that could’ve been done better on both sides. But at the end of the day, we all learn some lessons and we’ve got to move forward,” Howard said, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN LA.
“There are a lot of things we both could’ve done, but at the end of the day, it happened just the way it was supposed to happen. There was a reason behind everything. We might not see it or understand it at the time, but there was a reason why everything happened the way it happened and I think it made both parties stronger,” said Howard.
While Dwight seems happy in LA, he still has not signed an extension with the Lakers. When asked about the possibility of staying with the Lakers long-term he had this to say:
“From one to 10? I’d give it a good 12. I love it. It’s been a lot of fun,” Howard said. “Just everything here, from the practices, the motivation of everybody here is championship, that’s what we need. I like the direction we’re headed. We’ve had some tough losses but we’ll learn and we’ll grow from it. We’re going to stick together.”
It’s good to hear Dwight knows he didn’t handle his exit from Orlando the best way.
He should be motivated to put up a good game against his former team.