“I wanna play, but at the same time, there’s like no teams that really wanna allow me to play.” Dwight Howard, after his exit from the Lakers in 2022, spoke about feeling forced out of the league. It eventually became his final stint in the league, and this year he received a nomination for the HOF. That too first ballot nomination alongside another Lakers teammate from that year, Carmelo Anthony. The 3x DPOY shares why the exit panned out in a particular manner.

“Just think about everybody that came in. Look at Melo, Melo came in on the high horse, and how they tried to make Melo leave. Like he wasn’t a good a– player. Forced Melo out. You (Sebastian Telfair), me, all…” Dwight Howard said on his podcast about the untimely exit of certain players. He thought Carmelo Anthony, Telfair, and himself had more to give but did not get another opportunity they deserved. Here’s why he blamed the NBA.

“They only want us to be there for a certain amount of time. Everybody has a time limit; it’s a story for everybody. Everybody has a narrative… he, (pointing at Sebastian Telfair) had a narrative and when that narrative was up they had to get him out of there.” The former NBA champion continued, “They had to find a way to get him out. It’s just like these TV shows that we watch; they find a good way to bring you on and a bad way to make you look like the worst person in the world.”

As per Forbes, it wasn’t Howard’s performance that kept him out of the NBA—it was his reputation. An Eastern Conference executive revealed that Howard’s behavior in Orlando still lingered in the minds of many. For Carmelo Anthony, he could have returned to the Knicks that year, but the deal was never signed.

Melo revealed on his podcast last year why the return never materialized. Anthony stated, “I can’t do not knowing of when you gonna play and not play. I’d rather not go through that.” The 10x All-Star also thought there was a hesitation from the management when offering the deal. That is why Carmelo Anthony chose to retire gracefully. But what about his former teammate’s exit?

Dwight Howard highlighted the key people for his exit from the game

During last year’s playoff, the 5x NBA Rebounding leader took jabs at the Lakers for not having a Center. He would even claim to be the first person who could have stopped Nikola Jokic, as the Nuggets ended up winning comfortably (4-1). Even his celebration of the HOF nomination was not full-fledged. “I’m not retired yet but I’ll take it 😅 I’m extremely grateful I just pray they don’t do me like they did the last list🙏🏾.” A few months ago, DH-12 shared the harsh reality of his exit.

“It’s not personal to them.” Dwight Howard pointed out that it hardly matters to the owners, even if a player is beloved by fans or has a deep connection with a team. “It’s their company. They can do whatever the hell they want to do.” Even this year’s Mavs trading away their face of the franchise Luka Doncic proves the former Champion’s points.

Ultimately, the 39-year-old acknowledged that it’s a business, and the power rests with the front office. Even though the fairytale ending didn’t come to fruition for him and Carmelo Anthony, their Hall of Fame nominations serve as a testament to the lasting impact they’ve had on the game.