Lakers Rumors: Pursuit of Point Guard Help Will Trump Dwight Howard Talk

It's time to give up on the dream of Dwight Howard, at least until the Los Angeles Lakers address their glaring deficiency at point guard.

Sunday's 94-92 nail-biter over the Toronto Raptors was just the latest entry into a case file loaded with examples of the Lakers' backcourt getting torched by an opposing point guard on one end and getting little out of Derek Fisher and Steve Blake on the other. Jose Calderon torched those two for 30 points and six assists.

Before that, it was Jeremy Lin, who poured in an astonishing 38 points and seven assists.

Before that, it was Rajon Rondo, albeit with a more modest 14 points and seven dimes.

Before that, it was Lou Williams with 24 points and four assists, not to mention Jrue Holiday with 13 and six.

Over that same four-game span, LA's point guards (Fisher, Blake and Andrew Goudelock) averaged just under 11 points and a shade over four assists per game—combined.

To be fair, Kobe Bryant's the one with the ball in his hands, more often than not.

But still, the fact remains that the Lakers are getting all too little on both sides of the floor from a mediocre backcourt crop in a league that's as replete with quality ball-handlers and dime-droppers as it's ever been. According to hoopsstats.com, the Lakers rank 26th in the NBA with regard to the difference in efficiency between their point guards and those of their opponents, ahead of only the Portland Trail Blazers, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Bobcats and Orlando Magic. 

Speaking of the Magic, much of the trade chatter surrounding the Lakers remains focused on a move to steal Dwight Howard from Orlando ahead of the March 15 deadline. All signs thus far point to Howard favoring a move to the New Jersey Nets, where he'd presumably pair up with Deron Williams as the team prepares for its first season in Brooklyn.

Yet, the hearsay concerning the he-said, he-said between Howard and Bryant continues to trickle out to no end, leaving everyone to wonder who rubbed whom the wrong way. According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports:

"

Recent reporting about Howard's negative views on the Lakers were over the top, and Kobe Bryant denies warning Howard that if he were traded to the Lakers, it would never be Howard's team as long as No. 24 was still lacing them up. I asked Bryant directly about this, and he said, "I didn't say any of that ___. Why would I need to say that? That's childish stuff."

As for whether Kobe and Dwight have connected in some fashion, at least through an intermediary, it's clear they have. What was said in those conversations is "none of your business," I was told by someone privy to them. But the Kobe-said/Dwight-said aspect of this is merely a diversion from the real issues: Will the Magic buckle under the pressure and trade him by the deadline, and what does Howard really think about playing for the Lakers?

"

Indeed, there are more pressing issues afoot in LaLa Land than what Kobe and Howard may or may not have said to one another over the phone.

And they have nothing to do with Superman. In fact, the Lakers' greatest strength right now (aside from Bryant, of course) is their front court, which features two seven-foot All-Stars in Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. The problem, rather, is that the Lakers lack guards who can get the ball to Bynum and Gasol down low in proper position to make plays.

Dealing for Howard doesn't do anything to solve that quandary, even if such a swap would ultimately upgrade the talent in the middle. As well as Bynum and Gasol have played of late, neither can quite hold a candle to Howard, who's far and away the best big man in basketball.

Still, if the Lakers are to contend for a title in this shortened, point-guard-driven season, they'll first need to find one of their own, one who can relegate Fisher (and Blake) to smaller roles on the team, feed the post and slow down opposing lead guards.

So far, it appears as though GM Mitch Kupchak is doing just that. He's had his hand in possible deals for Ramon Sessions of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jonny Flynn of the Houston Rockets and even Rajon Rondo of the hated Boston Celtics.

Not to mention free agents like Gilbert Arenas and Allen Iverson.

The fact that the rumor mill has been teeming with point guard possibilities suggests Kupchak is perusing the market for upgrades at the position, which should grant beleaguered Lakers fans at least a modicum of comfort.

Of course, none of this would be of any concern to the Lakers had commissioner David Stern not nixed the original Chris Paul trade, but that's neither here nor there (sort of).

That being said, there will be no rest for the weary (and old) Purple and Gold—currently the sixth seed in the Western Conference—until they find someone else who can handle the team's business up top.

Let's just hope all of this Dwight Howard talk doesn't drown out the more important calls to Kupchak's cell phone.

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