Former NBA star Dwight Howard has revealed that he never wanted to join the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012, claiming the Orlando Magic had promised to trade him to the Brooklyn Nets instead.
Howard explained that he agreed to waive his early termination option after Orlando assured him that he would be sent to Brooklyn, where he had hoped to continue his career.
“The Magic told me if I signed my early termination option (ETO), whatever that was called back then, they was going to send me straight to Brooklyn.”
The former Defensive Player of the Year said he was excited about the possibility of joining the Nets and had already begun discussing the move.
“Cause I was like, man, I’m going to Brooklyn. I was just telling him about it.”
However, Orlando ultimately traded Howard to the Lakers in August 2012 as part of a four-team deal, sending him to a destination he claims he had specifically wanted to avoid.
“And they sent me to the Lakers, where I didn’t want to go. I was pissed. I did not want to go to the Lakers.”
Howard joined a Lakers roster featuring Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Pau Gasol, but his first season in Los Angeles was marked by injuries, inconsistent performances, and questions about his fit with the team.
The Lakers were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs, and Howard subsequently left Los Angeles to sign with the Houston Rockets in free agency.
Howard eventually returned to the Lakers in 2019 and helped the franchise win the 2020 NBA championship.
