(Dwight) Howard let out a big sigh and flashed a big smile when he finally was given his No. 12 Lakers jersey and held it up for the first time. He inspected it from front to back before carrying it around the rest of the day, peaking at it from time to time to make sure it was real.

“It’s kind of unreal,” Howard said. “It finally happened. It’s here. Just walking around upstairs and driving here … I’m really a part of the Lakers. It hasn’t really hit me yet. I’m just happy to be here and I’m going to make the best out of it.”

It took four teams, 11 other players, five draft picks and countless rounds of talks over many months, but the Magic decided the time was right to start over without the NBA’s best center and end a saga that has dogged the franchise for what seems like an eternity.

via Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles