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When Dwight Howard made it clear that his relationship with the Orlando Magic was beyond repair, the new front office in Orlando went in search of the best deal. There was no way they were going to get close to equal value back in return for the best center in the NBA. There were too many factors working against them. But after months of conversations, the Magic finally found a deal that they felt worked best. In a four-team blockbuster, Howard has finally gotten his wish. he has been shipped out of Orlando. Even though LA was not his preferred destination, he can’t help but to be thrilled about the way things have ended up for him. He wanted to compete for championships and has that opportunity. He wanted to play with an elite point guard and now he gets to share the floor with two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash.
And it appeared that he wanted to play in a bigger market and now he is in Hollywood. The way Howard handled things were horrible from day one, but he got his wish and now he and the Lakers will both benefit from it as the Magic search for another superstar. One more willing to stay in the Magic Kingdom. Dwight Howard joined Fox Sports Radio with Petros and Moneyto talk about how excited he is to be a member of the Lakers, how tough this past season has been for him, whether he has talked to Kobe Bryant since getting traded to LA, what he was thinking when the Lakers traded for Steve Nash given his desire to play with a top point guard, what he expects his role to be with the offense and if it is true that his number one team on his list was Brooklyn.
How excited he is to be a member of the Lakers:
“I’m so excited right now. It’s hard to talk. It’s just crazy. This day has been amazing and blessed to have this opportunity to put on a Lakers jersey.”
How tough this past season has been for him:
“It was very tough, it was very stressful for a while but I decided that I’m just going to focus on my rehab and focus on getting better and focus on getting stronger instead of focusing on what is going on around me. Just really focus on me and getting healthy.”
Whether he has talked to Kobe Bryant since getting traded to LA:
“We had a conversation yesterday. We had a great conversation. We’re both looking forward to it. He said he’s very happy for me and he’s said he’s looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for myself and it’s going to be a great opportunity for Kobe and all of us to learn from each other. I’m looking forward to it.”
What he was thinking when the Lakers traded for Steve Nash:
“I was just like ‘wow they got Steve Nash. Oh man. What would happen if I played for the Lakers?’ It’s happening now. It’s here. Just looking forward to stepping on the floor and seeing everything happen.”
What he expects his role to be with the Lakers:
“I just want to dominate on both ends of the floor. That’s all I want to do. I’m not going to focus on the offensive side and trying to worry about how many shot attempts I get but remember that we’re trying to win a championship and we all have to make sacrifices to win. That’s basically what I want to do. Whatever sacrifice I have to make, make it so our team can win a championship.”
How his back is feeling following surgery:
“It’s progressing great. My back is getting a lot stronger every day and hopefully the doctor clears me to play before the season. If not I’m going to continue to stay patient and continue to rehab and continue to get my back stronger. My health is the most important thing right now and I’m gonna make sure that I’m 100 percent before I step back on the floor.”
If it is true that Brooklyn was number one on his list:
“The Lakers have always been a team that I would love to play for. The first team on my list was Brooklyn. All that is in the past right now. I’m here in LA and I’m ready to start my new career.”
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