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Josh Smith Thinks Dwight Howard Is ‘Loyal Athlete and Loyal Person,’ Believes Howard Will Re-Sign With Lakers

At least somebody still has a high opinion of Dwight Howard. His old buddy, Josh Smith, weighed in on Howard’s impending free agency, not only sharing his thoughts on his friend’s future but also offering a glimpse into the big fella’s soul.

In an eyebrow-raising interview with the Los Angeles Daily News over the weekend, Smith said “it would be a shock to me” if Howard signed with some team other than the Lakers this offseason. Most people share Smith’s view. The Lakers can offer Howard more money and an extra year on his contract, plus a proven franchise that has consistently been a contender for more than three straight decades. But Smith has a different rationale.

“Dwight is a loyal athlete and loyal person,” Smith said. “He’s not a quitter and doesn’t run from situations. That’s why I believe with this franchise and the way he’s talked so well about it, I can’t see him going anywhere.”

Um, OK. In case anybody had forgotten about the way Howard forced his way out of Orlando — or as some people might call it, “quitting” – Howard spoke back up on Monday by saying “My team in Orlando was a team full of people nobody wanted.”

That Dwight. So loyal to everyone, especially his teammates, right up to the moment when he throws them under the bus.