Los Angeles Lakers to work out Dwight Howard, Joakim Noah

Aug. 20 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Lakers are holding workouts for former All-Star centers Dwight Howard and Joakim Noah.

League sources told ESPN and the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday that the Lakers will host the players in individual workouts this week. The workouts will also include veteran big man Marreese Speights.

The Lakers are auditioning potential replacements for All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, who suffered a torn ACL during an organized pickup game last week in Las Vegas. He is expected to miss most of the season, according to ESPN.

Howard is under contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, but the team has allowed him to explore playing elsewhere in the NBA, according to ESPN. He isn't expected to play a game with the franchise.

Howard, 33, battled injuries last season and only played in nine games with the Washington Wizards. The eight-time NBA All-Star underwent surgery on Nov. 29 to repair a disc in his lower back and missed the remainder of the 2018-19 campaign.

The Lakers have JaVale McGee and Anthony Davis in their center rotation. The franchise would prefer that Davis play primarily at power forward this season.