Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard To Meet As Part Of L.A. Lakers Plan To Convince Free-Agent Center To Stay

Kobe Bryant will lead the Los Angeles Lakers delegation hoping to convince free-agent center Dwight Howard to resign with the team, Yahoo! Sports reports.

Bryant, who only recently began walking following an Achilles heel surgery, is slated to be at the center of the team’s presentation when they meet with Howard sometime on Tuesday, according to Yahoo!.

The Lakers are expected to be the last team from among a list that at least includes, Houston, Dallas, Golden State and Atlanta to meet with the 27-year All-Star big man. Members from the franchise-owning Buss family, general manager Mitch Kupchak and possibly coach Mike D’Antoni are also slated to be on hand.

On Sunday, legendary L.A. coach Phil Jackson, who just formally rejoined the organization in the role of consultant, also tweeted Howard, urging him to “get on board.”

Though Bryant and Howard have had a somewhat strained relationship, the two have kept in constant contact this off season, according to Yahoo!, and seem to have grown more convinced they can win together.

Co-existing with D’Antoni, at least in Howard’s mind, might be another story. Howard has openly let it be known he felt he was misutilized in the team’s up-tempo system last season and also believed D-Antoni lacked trust in him by not considering him one of the team’s leaders.

The Lakers can offer Howard up to $117 million, roughly $30 million more than any other team. Sensing that alone might not be enough to close the deal, the team began erecting life-sized “Stay D12” billboards all around town.  

 

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