The domino effect of DeMarcus Cousins' torn ACL has begun. The Lakers went from a bruising center who can dish and drain 3-pointers to a possible wild reunion in Hollywood.
Los Angeles reportedly is interested in bringing back center Dwight Howard, and there's mutual interest between the two sides, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Sunday morning.
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SIGN UP HERE Howard, who turns 34 in December, was traded by the Wizards to the Grizzlies this offseason, but Memphis is expected to eventually release the three-time Defensive Player of the Year. Howard has every accolade a player would want, but his abilities are stuck in the past.
The big man played just nine games last year for the Wizards where he averaged 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game before gluteal surgery ended his season. Injuries and basketball turning into more of a perimeter game have diminished Howard's value in recent seasons.
He's also played for the Lakers once before and that turned out to be a disaster. Howard averaged 17.1 points and 12.4 rebounds per game for the Lakers in the 2012-13 season, but L.A. was swept by the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.
The Lakers' only true center on their roster currently is JaVale McGee, who is best used as a lob threat off the bench. It's hard to imagine either Howard or McGee as a solid starter at this point in their careers.
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Losing Cousins clearly is a big blow to the Lakers. It could also help the Warriors' in their push for a higher playoff seed and the Kings as a team fighting to end a 13-year postseason drought.
[RELATED: Cousins needs ex-Warriors teammates' support after torn ACL]
The Lakers have sky-high expectations with LeBron James and Anthony Davis teaming up. Nobody expected Howard to be on the same squad.
Now, the Warriors and Kings can take advantage of the loss of their former center.