With Dwight Howard on board, will an NBA title follow for Lakers?
In a stunning move that will now push Kobe Bryant that much closer to an elusive sixth championship, the Lakers are on the verge of completing a trade for superstar center Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic in a blockbuster, four-team deal.
The Lakers will send Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia, along with Jason Richardson from Orlando. Denver will send Arron Afflalo and Al Harrington to the Magic and will get Andre Iguodala from the 76ers. Orlando will get Nikola Vucevic and Moe Harkless from Philly, as well as lottery-protected first-round picks from each of the three teams. The Lakers will also get Chris Duhon and Earl Clark in the deal.
The Lakers will complete a remarkable transformation that will pair Bryant with Howard, Gasol and Steve Nash, making the Lakers the favorites going four-on-five with almost any team in the league.
General Manager Mitch Kupchak has definitely put his name in as the early leader for 2012-13 executive of the year. Vowed to “try to hit a home run” and that’s exactly what he has done with additions of Nash and Howard, as well as signing Antawn Jamison to a veteran’s minimum while keeping Jordan Hill and Pau Gasol. Howard has improved offensively in the past two seasons, averaging 20.6 points and shooting 57.3% from the field last season and should be very effective running pick-and-rolls with Nash and Gasol. Expect Howard to get easy baskets on passes from Nash and Gasol.
In eight seasons with the Magic, Howard averaged 18.4 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks, was a 3 time Defensive Player of the Year and made 6 All-Star appearances.
Howard now lands on a team where he has said he would re-sign long term. The Lakers will own Howard’s Bird Rights, meaning Howard can sign a five-year, $98 million deal with the Lakers after the 2012-13 season. If Howard had been traded to a team he didn’t want to play for in the future, he would have been limited to a four-year, $75 million deal if he left after this coming season for another team in free agency.
Once the trade becomes official, rest of the league will be left to wonder how the Lakers always find a way to land the very best star power the NBA has to offer.
