Dwight Howard to LA Could Be Done If Lakers Are Willing
With Dwight Howard still asking for a trade away from the Orlando and with disgruntled players in Los Angeles, a trade between the Magic and Lakers could be done if the Lakers are willing. Trade rumors have been swirling around the Staples Center and Pau Gasol seems to be the one most impacted by them.
Getting a fair deal for Dwight Howard is not likely. Howard is by far the best center in the NBA and one of the most dominant players in the history of the league. Though neither team would confirm nor deny it, it was rumored that the Magic were willing to trade Howard to LA for Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. However, the rumor also said that the Lakers were not willing to trade Gasol. Now with Gasol unhappy with his name being associated with so many trade rumors, the Lakers might be willing to part ways with the all-star forward.
With Lakers players now publically upset with general manager Mitch Kupchak over all the different trade rumors swirling around the team, now could be the opportunity to make a deal. Dwight Howard won’t be traded by the Magic until after February 26 when Orlando hosts the all-star game but a deal can be reached as early as February 27. If the Lakers are willing to trade both Bynum and Gasol for Howard, the Magic likely will make that deal.
While that trade may seem to be a lot for the Lakers to give up for one player, it’s the only deal that comes close to fair for the Magic. Howard reportedly gave the Magic three teams that he would like to be dealt to. Those teams were the New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Lakers. While the Magic might be able to get better deals from other teams, a team will only trade for the star center if they can guarantee that he’ll sign an extension.
Original reports had the Nets offering center Brook Lopez and draft picks to the Magic for Howard. Unless at least one of those picks would be a number one overall, that trade comes nowhere close to even for the potential future hall of famer. Another problem with some of these trades are that the Magic are currently sitting in third in the Eastern Conference. If the Magic trade Howard to the Nets for Lopez and draft picks, the season is as good as over considering that Lopez is an average center and has been injured much of this season. Trading for Bynum and Gasol would keep the Magic as contenders in the East and possibly one of the favorites heading into the postseason.
It looks likely Howard may not even be on the move at all. Magic general manager Otis Smith’s job is currently in jeopardy due to poor trades over the past two seasons and now with the franchise player asking for a move. Smith’s last chance to keep his job is to convince Howard to stay with the Magic. The only other chance for Smith to keep his job would be for the Magic to trade for both Bynum and Gasol. With the Lakers unlikely to give up both of those players for Howard and maybe Hedo Turkoglu, Smith may take the risk of keeping Howard and hope he either changes his mind, or the Magic win the first championship in franchise history.
