From the sounds of it, Dwight Howard’s mind was already made up well before free agency began that he was going to leave the Los Angeles Lakers.
Steve Nash appeared on “Mason & Ireland” on 710 ESPN LA Tuesday and said there wasn’t much optimism for the Lakers heading into their meeting with Howard after free agency began, but he felt like the meeting went well.
“It was good,” Nash said of the meeting. “Frankly, I thought before the meeting we didn’t really have a chance. I’d like to think that after the meeting we had a chance.
“Ultimately, I think Dwight wasn’t comfortable here and didn’t want to be here. If he doesn’t want to be here, there’s no point for anyone to be here. So we wish him the best and move on.”
Nash also told Mason and Ireland that he didn’t feel like Dwight was comfortable in the pick and roll offense. Nash termed the Lakers’ season “a disaster in many ways,” and noted all the injuries they had. He says he went through health problems, Howard was recovering from back surgery, and Pau Gasol had foot and knee problems. But Nash was unable to identify one singular factor that may have led to the team’s struggles.
Nash said the Lakers “never found that confidence as a team” and “never found that commonality.”
There were many reports before Howard took his meetings that the Houston Rockets were the favorites to land him, so this might not be a big surprise. But it is interesting to note that the Lakers felt that vibe from Howard, which probably explains why they made the uncharacteristic big effort to get him back.
