As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for another season, they’ll do so without Dwight Howard and the drama surrounding the 27-year-old center.
Howard underwhelmed in his only season in L.A. as the Lakers fell well short of preseason expectations, and injuries led to them getting swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.
With training camp underway, several Laker players, notably Steve Nash and Pau Gasol, have indirectly taken shots at Howard as they said there’s a much better vibe this season. Nash and Gasol aren’t the only players taking shots, as former Laker legend Kareem-Abdul Jabbar did the same.
Appearing yesterday on ESPN First Take with Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith, Abdul-Jabbar was asked whether or not the Lakers were better off without him. You’ll remember, right when Howard was traded to the Lakers, he posed for a photo with Kareem and talked about how excited he was to work with a Laker legend.
In the interview, Abdul-Jabbar said Howard is a great athlete, but lacks the basketball IQ that can take him to the next level. During the Lakers 2009-10 championship run, it was Abdul-Jabbar who coached former Laker Andrew Bynum and Gasol on how to stop Howard in the Finals.
Abdul-Jabbar brought up the same criticisms Laker fans had for Howard as to the fact he doesn’t have a go-to move on offense and he has a difficult time adjusting his game.
Here’s the video clip where Kareem weighs in on Howard leaving the Lakers:
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