Los Angeles Lakers News & Analysis

Brian Windhorst Mocks Stephen A. Smith for Suggesting Lakers Sign Dwight Howard

Credit: Awful Announcing/X

Brian Windhorst couldn’t believe it when Stephen A. Smith proposed that the Los Angeles Lakers should consider signing Dwight Howard.

Stephen A. Smith’s Controversial Suggestion

Before signing Alex Len, the Lakers were actively looking for a center. On First Take, Stephen A. Smith surprised everyone by suggesting that they should pursue Dwight Howard. Brian Windhorst, however, found this take laughable.

Smith argued, “I haven’t seen him in a couple of years, but all you need is someone to defend and rebound. Why not give Dwight Howard a shot? He’s always in shape.” He added that other names, like JaVale McGee, were mentioned, but Howard was still a viable option.

Windhorst responded sarcastically, “DeMarcus Cousins is playing in Mongolia—why don’t you call him?” before pointing out that Howard had been out of the league for years.

Despite Windhorst’s skepticism, Smith continued defending his stance, saying the Lakers just needed a big man who could defend and rebound. Windhorst, however, shut him down with a sharp remark: “Then why not bring back Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?”

Howard’s NBA Future Seems Over

Howard, while not officially retired, has been out of the NBA since the 2021-22 season when he played for the Lakers. In his last stint, he averaged 6.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game. However, no NBA team has shown serious interest in bringing him back, and it was clear even then that he was past his prime.

Howard Fires Back at Windhorst

Windhorst’s dismissive comments didn’t sit well with Dwight Howard. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to mock Windhorst’s weight, posting, “Lay off the burgers, Windy.”

Realizing this might have crossed a line, Howard later edited his post but still didn’t back down. He quoted DeMarcus Cousins, saying, “If I walk into a room and LeBron James acknowledges me, that means more than Brian Windhorst’s chunky a* telling me I’m great.”*

It remains to be seen whether Windhorst will respond to Howard’s jabs, but given his sharp wit on First Take, this back-and-forth could escalate further.