Dwight Howard agrees to sign with Los Angeles Lakers

Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Veteran center Dwight Howard reached a contract buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies and will rejoin the Los Angeles Lakers.

League sources told ESPN and The Athletic on Friday that Howard is signing a one-year, non-guaranteed $2.6 million contract with the Lakers once he clears waivers.

The All-Star big man met with Lakers officials and three key players, Anthony Davis, JaVale McGee and Rajon Rondo, after a workout in Los Angeles and persuaded the team to give him another opportunity to show his talent without any disruptions, according to The Athletic.

League sources told ESPN that the Lakers can cut Howard before the NBA's Jan. 7 trade deadline without any penalty. The signing of him will move the Lakers' roster to 15 players.

The Lakers explored bringing in Howard after a possible season-ending injury to All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, who suffered a torn ACL during an organized pickup game last week in Las Vegas.

Howard, 33, spent one season with the Lakers in the 2012-13 campaign but opted to leave the team for the Houston Rockets in free agency. The Lakers will be Howard's sixth team since joining the Atlanta Hawks in 2016. He played with the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards and Hawks, and was waived by the Brooklyn Nets and Grizzlies without ever suiting up.

Howard played only nine games with the Wizards last season before he underwent surgery Nov. 29 to repair a disc in his lower back. He averaged 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in Washington.