Lakers C Dwight Howard Could Be Available For Blazers' Season Opener?

Mike Trudell of Lakers.com released this footage of Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard working out as he continues to rehabilitate from a season-ending back surgery in April.

Assistant coaches Darvin Ham and Chuck Person went through low post moves with the six time All-Star center (see video below), with Howard adding some shooting from the paint and the free throw line.

Howard dropped in a high percentage of his patented baby hooks with either hand, spinning either to the baseline or the middle depending on Ham's defense, and showed his quick first step getting to the hoop when Ham closed out.

Arash Markazi of ESPNLA.com gave his take on Twitter.

A light workout is just that but considering it's Sept. 26, you have to like Dwight's odds of being ready opening night.

The Lakers play their regular season opener against the Dallas Mavericks in Los Angeles on Oct. 30. They will then travel to Portland for a back-to-back, serving as the opponent in the Trail Blazers' season opener on Oct. 31.

Blazers coach Terry Stotts recently named J.J. Hickson as his pre-camp starter in the middle, alongside All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge. Earlier this month, he gave this assessment of rookie center Meyers Leonard's shot at starting.

I don't want to put any limitations on Meyers. I've been very impressed with what he's done this past week. Training camp is three weeks away so I don't want to have any preconceived notions of what Meyers will be capable of doing overnight almost two months from now. Like I said, I've been very impressed with him. I think it's safe to say that Damian is going to be our starting point guard. That's pretty much a given. Now, whether it's because big men take more time or whatever, I don't want to say today that Meyers is going to come along slowly. If he's ready to start opening night, he'll start opening night. To say that he's going to be the starter opening night, I think that's too early to say too.