While he’s clearly past his prime, it’s been a little curious that Dwight Howard has remained out of the NBA since the conclusion of the 2021-22 season. Appearing in 60 games with the Los Angeles Lakers, the eight-time All-Star averaged 6.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and a defensive rating of 109 — numbers that would hardly indicate that he doesn’t belong in the league.
But following the news that Howard is facing a civil lawsuit from a man accusing the three-time Defensive Player of the Year of sexually assaulting him in 2021, Stephen A. Smith believes there may be a connection to his apparent banishment from the league.
“Let me tell you what came to my mind when I thought about this: that’s why teams didn’t want him,” Smith said Wednesday’s episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show. “Now, whether they’re going to admit it or not and I’m not going to the mention teams, because I don’t want to incriminate anybody or accuse anybody of something I simply don’t know, I’m guessing. What I’m saying is that’s the first thought that came to my mind: that’s why they don’t want him.
“Because what do I constantly try to educate y’all about as somebody that’s been a reporter for 30 years? We always know more than we reveal because our intel comes from the actual sources. And so it is not out of realm of comprehension that a team was looking at bringing in Dwight Howard, with that defensive prowess that he brings to the table, that a team was looking at bringing Dwight Howard on board and then found out through their investigative process — because they investigate everything — that he had this court situation coming down the pike. It’s just a reasonable conclusion for me. I’m totally guessing. But it’s a reasonable conclusion to deduce.”
It’s not a crazy thought.
While the lawsuit against Howard — who has denied the allegations of assault but has admitted to a consensual encounter with the accuser — wasn’t filed until this past July, the alleged victim first went to the Gwinnett County Police Department regarding the incident in July 2022 (no charges were filed). To Smith’s point, professional sports teams often do their due diligence when it comes to investigating players’ backgrounds, so it’s reasonable to think NBA teams would’ve been made aware of the allegations against Howard as early as last year as he hit free agency following his final season with the Lakers.
Having spent last season playing professionally in Taiwan, it’s clear the 37-year-old Howard still has a desire to play in the NBA, so it’s worth wondering how he went from being a rotation player on the Lakers to out of the league in one offseason. Considering that the five-time rebounding champ has long been considered a polarizing presence, it would make sense if — fair or not — teams weren’t willing to give him to benefit of the doubt.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.