Lakers free agency: Dwight Howard leaves, reaches agreement with 76ers

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard has chosen to leave the squad in free agency, joining the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Dwight Howard Lakers Rennassaince has finally reached its endpoint. Howard is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, taking a deal from his former boss in Houston, Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Howard made some waves on Twitter earlier in the day with a tweet that he quickly deleted, which indicated that he was staying with the Lakers. Whatever happened between his tweet and the latest update happened, now Howard is heading to Philadelphia to back-up their star center Joel Embiid. The Sixers traded Al Horford on draft night to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Lakers were clearly interested in bringing Howard back, but the Sixers obviously persuaded him and his representation to join Philadelphia. Playing time may have been a factor with Horford and their other back-up center Norvelle Pelle no longer being with the team. L.A.’s starting center JaVale McGee exercised his option to stay with the Lakers earlier this week.

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