Howard himself took to Twitter to announce his decision.
The loss of the big man is a disappointment. Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak released a statement via the team's official website that related the team's disappointment and desire to move forward in a new direction:
We have been informed of Dwight's decision to not return to the Lakers. Naturally we're disappointed. However, we will now move forward in a different direction with the future of the franchise and, as always, will do our best to build the best team possible, one our great Lakers fans will be proud to support. To Dwight, we thank him for his time and consideration, and for his efforts with us last season. We wish him the best of luck on the remainder of his NBA career.
With Howard gone, the team faces a difficult offseason ahead. Questions as to how the marquee franchise could miss out on one of the biggest superstars in the league, and what the team can do to improve with limited options will be the story of the offseason going forward.
Here's a look at the latest rumors surrounding the franchise in the post-Howard era.
Metta World Peace to Be Amnestied?
As previously mentioned, the Lakers have very little flexibility to make any moves in free agency. The fact that they would have been retaining Howard is the only reason they could go even further over the salary cap to sign him.
One way that they can get a little closer to the luxury tax line is by amnestying their small forward, Metta World Peace. As Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register twe...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
