Lakers Rumors: No Dwight Howard Will Lead to Downward Spiral

The Los Angeles Lakers and Mitch Kupchak are in a tough situation. They have a competitive but not championship-caliber squad this year. They have a superstar, future Hall of Famer and legend of the organization whose patience is running thin. They have their sights set on a player who they may not be able to acquire, or ownership may not be willing to part with the pieces necessary.

Anybody want Mitch's job?

Kobe Bryant is not going to finish his career this way. I am as sure of that as anything I can't tangibly prove. He has too much pride and has tasted too much victory to watch his final three or four years of quality performance play out this way. Kobe wants to be in the thick of things until the end.

Jim Buss has stated he believes the Lakers have a championship-caliber team now (via Sporting News). If that's true, he's the only one who believes it. If it were true, why were you willing to part with so many major pieces to acquire Chris Paul?

Buss also stated that he believes trading Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum for Dwight Howard is foolish. I'm not sure if this is more B.S. (Buss Speak, get your mind out of the gutter) or if he actually believes that.

Either way, it's not true. Howard offers them the opportunity to remain the Lakers for the fans, the organization, Kobe and the NBA. Their excellence is expected, and for the first time in about 12 years, fans have to be wondering, what will the Lakers be when The Mamba is gone?

Given the way the Lakers have dangled and dismissed players, do we really believe they'll be able to retain Bynum after this season? Even if Howard isn't traded, the Lakers aren't going to come at Bynum hard to sign, unless Howard chooses the Nets or another as yet unnamed team. By that time, Bynum will be gone to another team willing to make him its top priority.

If Howard was in purple and gold, there would be no mystery. He'd be there to help Bryant chase the sixth ring and to anchor championship runs once Kobe has moved on.

If the Lakers don't get him, next year's roster will be suspect. They can hope to nab Gerald Wallace or Jameer Nelson to play point, but those acquisitions don't mean what Howard would mean.

The Lakers need Howard; no other acquisition will suffice. There are no other possibilities available that will make the Lakers more than just another team with a decent shot at the title.

While that may be good enough for Memphis, Indiana and Oklahoma City, this is Los Angeles, and these are the Lakers.

We all expect more than that.