The feeling around the league is that for the Los Angeles Lakers to have any hopes of keeping All-Star center Dwight Howard in L.A., they'll have to make the playoffs to make it happen.

Well according to the beliefs of Howard's longtime friend, Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith, Howard will remain with the Lakers once he becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

"I can't pick his brain and be in his head but to me, I don't see him going anywhere," Smith said before the Lakers hosted the Hawks at Staples Center. "It would be a shock to me."

Why?

"Dwight is a loyal athlete and loyal person," Smith said . "He's not a quitter and doesn't run from situations. That's why I believe with this franchise and the way he's talked so well about it, I can't see him going anywhere."

Howard and Smith grew up together in Atlanta and played with each other on the same AAU team. To this day, they often talk about eventually becoming teammates again.

"Situations like that are far fetched so it's more, 'What if we play with each other?'" Smith said. "In AAU basketball, we had a ton of success. You never know what the future entails. But we can talk about it. It might not necessarily happen. But it's a good conversation."

But Smith stressed neither he or Howard are actively trying to ensure that outcome.

"If it happens, it'll be crazy," Smith said. "But you never know."

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