Dwight Howard: To Be Traded To The Los Angeles Lakers In A Blockbuster Deal, Pending League Approval
A day that many NBA fans thought that they would never see has finally come, Dwight Howard has been traded, pending league approval. News has just broke, through multiple media outlets that Howard has indeed been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster deal and all that is left is a phone call tomorrow morning between the NBA comissioner and the four teams involved. The deal also involves the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, and Orlando Magic. The reported deal would send Howard to the Lakers, Andre Iguodala to the Nuggets, Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson to the 76ers, and NikolaVucevic Moe Harkless, and a first-round draft pick from the three teams, heading to the Magic.
The deal, which seems to help all the teamsinvolved , will clearly put the Lakers back into a position to win their 17th NBA championship, and Kobe Bryant’s elusive 6th ring. Initial deals had the Lakers also giving up Pau Gasol in this deal, but the genius, GM Mitch Kupchak, somehow found a way to keep Gasol in a Lakers uniform.Gasol staying is going to be a huge part of the Lakers quest for another title as his pick and roll game is perfect for the way that Steve Nash likes to play.
The other key piece, besides Howard, that will, pending league approval, be moved in this deal iss Andrew Bynum. Bynum will be moved to the 76ers, who have said that they are willing to take a chance on Bynum without his commitment. Bynum will be a free-agent at the end of the 2012-2013 season, and his previous stance has been that he will only re-sign with the Lakers. Well, now that that door has closed it seems as though Bynum will keep his options open. The one thing that the 76ers do have going for them, though is that they now hold Bynum’s bird rights. Without getting into too many logistics, that basically means that if Bynum were to walk in free-agency, he would be leaving around $20 million dollars on the table. Call me crazy but I don’t think that will happen.
Overall I think I speak for every NBA, sports, and Dwight Howard fan when I say that I am glad that theDwightmare is nearly over. Have fun in La-La land Howard.
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