IFWT_Dwight-Howard-Lakers2

Oh boy here we go again, the Dwight Howard media circus is entering year three.  The Lakers have already publicly announced that they would do everything they can to get Dwight to sign an extension with the team.  Based on the money the Lakers are able to offer plus other factors, it seemed like all signs pointed to Dwight remaining but with the Lakers recent downfall amongst other things, there’s new reports that Howard will test free agency.  Read more after the jump.

Shay Marie

According to ESPNLosAngeles:

Dwight Howard will speak with other teams beyond just the Lakers before making a decision about his future this summer: “Sunday could be the last game Dwight Howard plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. The question is: Should it be? The Lakers have already made their intentions clear. They want Howard back. ‘Dwight is our future,’ Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said back in February to debunk all the trade rumors that were swirling. ‘It’s hard to get talent in this league, and to have a talent like Dwight Howard, we have no intention of trading Dwight Howard,’ Kupchak continued. ‘He belongs to have his name on the wall [as a retired uniform] and a statue in front of Staples [Center] at some point in time.’

According to several sources familiar with Howard’s thinking, Howard will likely explore free agency before reaching his final decision. In today’s media landscape, that means there will be a circus in July while Howard hears pitches from the likes of the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers. Even if it is merely Howard doing his due diligence before making a major life decision, the frenzy it is sure to create will give Howard a taste of the backlash he could face if he ultimately decides to uproot from L.A. just one year removed from the ‘Dwightmare’ that surrounded his exit from Orlando.”