Dwight Howard and the purple and gold. It’s a complicated marriage. Most NBA fans remember the 2012 "Dwightmare" or the 2020 redemption arc, but the reality of the Los Angeles Lakers Dwight Howard saga is way messier than a simple comeback story. We’re talking about a guy who went from being the heir to Shaq’s throne to a pariah, then a champion, and eventually a journeyman.
He wasn't just a center. He was a lightning rod.
The Trade That Should Have Changed Everything
Remember 2012? The Lakers had just landed Steve Nash and Dwight Howard in a massive four-team blockbuster. On paper, it was a "Superteam." Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash, and Dwight. People were booking parade routes in June.
Honestly, it looked perfect. Howard was 26 and coming off three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards. But his back was cooked. He had undergone surgery for a herniated disk just months before the trade.
Instead of a dynasty, we got a disaster. Dwight wanted to post up like Hakeem Olajuwon, but he didn't have the footwork. Kobe wanted him to be Tyson Chandler on steroids—just set screens and dive to the rim. They clashed. Hard. When Nash told Dwight he should pick-and-roll more, Dwight reportedly wasn't having it.
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The Lakers finished 45-37. Kobe tore his Achilles. Dwight got ejected in the final game of a first-round sweep against the Spurs. Then he left for Houston in free agency, leaving a "Stay D12" billboard hanging over the 110 freeway like a bad omen.
Why 2020 Changed the Los Angeles Lakers Dwight Howard Narrative
Fast forward seven years. Howard’s reputation was in the gutter. He had bounced around from Houston to Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington. No one wanted him. He was labeled a "locker room cancer."
Then DeMarcus Cousins tore his ACL in the 2019 offseason. The Lakers needed a body.
They brought Dwight in on a non-guaranteed "prove it" deal. Most people thought he’d be cut by Christmas. Instead, something clicked. He stopped demanding the ball. He stopped complaining about touches. Basically, he became the elite role player Kobe had begged him to be years earlier.
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In the 2020 Western Conference Finals against Denver, he was the Jokic whisperer. He got into Nikola’s head, played physical, and gave Anthony Davis the space to dominate. Without Dwight’s 13-point, 3-rebound energy in Game 1 or his rebounding in Game 4, that series looks a lot different.
He finally got his ring in the Orlando Bubble. The irony? He won his first championship in the same city where he started his career, wearing the jersey of the team he once spurned.
Breaking Down the Three Stints
It's weird to think he had three separate runs in LA. Most stars get one shot.
- 2012-2013: The Ego Era. 17.1 PPG, 12.4 RPG. All-NBA Third Team, but a total chemistry failure.
- 2019-2020: The Redemption. 7.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG. A defensive anchor off the bench.
- 2021-2022: The Afterthought. 6.2 PPG. The team was old, Russ was there, and the magic (no pun intended) was gone.
The Hall of Fame Debate and the Shaq Shadow
You can't talk about Los Angeles Lakers Dwight Howard without mentioning Shaquille O'Neal. Shaq spent years bullying Dwight in the media. He hated the "Superman" nickname. He called him soft.
But look at the numbers. Dwight is a 2025 Hall of Fame inductee for a reason.
- 8-time All-Star.
- 5-time All-NBA First Team.
- 3-time Defensive Player of the Year (the first to win three in a row).
- Top 10 all-time in rebounds and blocks.
He was the last of the traditional "Apex" centers before the league went small-ball and "positionless." People forget he carried an Orlando Magic team with Hedo Türkoğlu and Rashard Lewis to the Finals in 2009, beating LeBron James in his prime to get there.
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What Really Happened in 2021?
There is still some salt over how his second stint ended. After winning the 2020 title, Howard famously tweeted that he was staying with the Lakers. Then he deleted it.
His agent reportedly told him the Lakers hadn't actually made a formal offer yet. They were waiting on other moves. Dwight got impatient or felt disrespected and signed with the 76ers for the veteran minimum. He later admitted he was "highly upset" he didn't get to defend the title. He came back for a third year in 2021, but the vibes were rancid. That Lakers team missed the playoffs entirely.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're looking back at Dwight's legacy in Los Angeles, here is how to actually evaluate it without the bias:
- Separate the injury from the attitude. In 2012, his back was genuinely damaged. He wasn't just "lazy"; he was physically limited.
- The 2020 impact was psychological. His willingness to accept a bench role saved his career and gave the Lakers the toughness they lacked.
- The Shaq "feud" was one-sided. Dwight mostly took the high road, while Shaq used his platform to protect his own "Greatest Center" hierarchy.
- Longevity matters. Howard played nearly 20 years. In an era where big men break down early, his physical conditioning (despite the early back issues) was elite.
Dwight Howard’s time as a Laker wasn't a fairy tale. It was a gritty, three-act play about ego, decline, and eventually, humility. He’ll never have a statue outside Crypto.com Arena, but the 2020 banner doesn't go up without him.
Check out the 2020 WCF highlights if you want to see the exact moment a superstar becomes a championship role player. It's a masterclass in "doing the dirty work."