The Los Angeles Lakers have erected a life size banner outside the Staples Center essentially begging free-agent center Dwight Howard to re-sign with the team, according to Yardbarker.com.
Howard officially becomes a free agent on July 1, and just where he will land remains anyone’s guest. Though the Lakers can pay him $30 million more in salary than any other suitor based on the NBA’s salary cap and collective bargaining agreement rules, the fact that Howard didn’t always seem to feel wanted in L.A. may prove a key factor.
After the Lakers were swept out of the playoffs in the first-round by San Antonio, during his post-season interview Howard told general manager Mitch Kupchak he felt that first-year coach Mike D-Antonio misused him throughout the season and that he never felt as if he was thought of as one of the team’s leaders.
Houston, Brooklyn, Dallas and his hometown team of Atlanta have all expressed an interest in landing Howard, who has largely been non-committal and more recently silent in his thinking.
Laker star guard Kobe Bryant has stressed that no matter happens during free agency he plans to have the last word with Howard and is hoping that will prove enough to sway him to resign with the team.
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