NBA: Returning LA Laker Gives Burning End To Shaq-Kobe Feud

Dwight Howard will be returning to the Los Angeles Lakers and most are taking swipes at the 33-year-old big man. Recently, he was somehow dragged into an exchange between two retired NBA stars - Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal - and the eight-time All-Star finally broke his silence.

Rather than react to the comments hurled by O'Neal, Howard elected not to fire back. Instead, he brushed aside the criticism being hurled at him and said that "it is irrelevant" in a report from TMZ Sports.

"It's okay, I'm not here to talk about Shaq. What he said, what he did. It's irrelevant to what I'm trying to do," said Howard who was chosen to fill the hole left by an injured DeMarcus Cousins.

"So, don't talk to me about what anybody else said about me. My focus is on one thing," he added.

In a previous post, Howard was dragged into a brief exchange between O'Neal and Bryant. Both eventually cleared the air and the topic swung on the top pick of the 2004 NBA Draft. The Diesel purposely misspelled the name of Howard to "Dwite." Following the 6-foot-11's response, O'Neal would take a u-turn and say that it was not Howard he was actually referring to on the "Dan Patrick Show."

The friction between Howard and O'Neal goes a long way back. Some believe it all started in 2007 during an All-Star Game dance battle. That feud carried on with the use of the "Superman" nickname.

O'Neal is unlikely to stop taking a swipe at Howard for the coming season. It won't come as a surprise as well if he mentioned the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year on Shaqtin' A Fool, a segment which showcases the best and worst in basketball.

Regardless, Howard faces a lot of adversity especially since his last stint in Hollywood is unforgettable. That was the year he opted to join the Houston Rockets and turn his back on the Lakers. His career has since been on rocky ground and seemed to be on its way to oblivion.

Howard will not be in the spotlight and likely to play behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He was given a non-guaranteed contract - meaning Howard will have to prove that he can still be of use to an NBA team at some capacity.