Los Angeles (AFP)
The Lakers have decided to keep until the end of the season Dwight Howard, hired this summer on the basis of a one-year contract "unsecured" and which proved them right in a role of replacement with high defensive impact , ESPN announced on Tuesday.
Los Angeles had until 2 p.m. Tuesday (10 p.m. GMT) to possibly end the contract that ties it to the 34-year-old pivot recruited after the injury of DeMarcus Cousins. What the California franchise won't do.
Doubts had accompanied Howard's return to the Lakers after a first pass synonymous with failure in 2012-2013, triggering his decline which then increased in Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Brooklyn and Washington. Teams where he has built a reputation as a model teammate, to the detriment of his performances on the floor.
His operation redemption to the Lakers, leaders in the West (29 wins, 7 defeats before the reception of New York this Tuesday evening) therefore seems to have started well.
His locker room attitude has been praised several times by LeBron James and other players, his competition with homeroom pivot JaVale McGee is healthy, and he seems to be flourishing again in the game.
Accepting to focus on his defensive work during the twenty minutes allocated to him per game, Howard compiles 7.1 pts (73.8% success on shots), 6.8 rebounds and 1.4 against average.
Proof of its newfound freshness, the one who has been named three best defender in the League has, according to the website The Athletic, decided to appear in the dunk competition of the next All Star Weekend in Chicago (February 14-16), eleven years later his last participation.
It will be the 4th time after 2007, where he had glued a sticker at the top of the board, after 2008 when he had imposed himself wearing the Superman cape and after 2009, where Nate Robinson, measuring 36 centimeters shorter than him, had taken their revenge on the previous edition.
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