Dwight Howard admits that his preference was to be traded from the Orlando Magic to the Brooklyn Nets.

"I did want to go to Brooklyn. That's a place where I told the Magic that I really wanted to go," said Howard. "[But] I was traded to the Lakers, and I think it was a blessing in disguise.

" … I think there's a reason why everything happened the way it happened. So far it's been an unbelievable experience for me. … It's like a dream come true."

Howard is beginning his first season with the Lakers.

"The whole year a lot of people were making up a lot of stories about 'This deal is getting close, that deal is getting close to being done,' or whatever, but none of those deals were ever close," Howard said.

"I thought I was going to get traded at the beginning of the year, actually, that's when I asked for it. But everything happened for a reason. I had to go through last year to get to where I'm at today. It's made me a stronger and better person for it. I had to go through the hell and the stormy forecast to come out to a place like this … and I'm thankful for it."