Howard to Lakers: Andrew Bynum Is Fool's Gold Compared to Howard

As a child I remember playing alongside a creek at Reed's Gold Mine near Charlotte NC, which was the site of the country's first real gold rush.

A classmate of mine stumbled on a large rock that after closer inspection appeared to be at least a 10-pound nugget of solid gold.

We were deciding how to split up our bounty when it was revealed that not only had the rock been specifically placed there for us to find, but it was also only fool's gold.

I was extremely disappointed, even as a 10-year-old, but I also learned a valuable lesson from that experience that the Los Angeles Lakers could benefit from today.

Center Andrew Bynum's recent strong performances have mostly muted the trade rumors involving Orlando center Dwight Howard, which could be a dangerous proposition for the Lakers.

According to CBSsports.com, the Clippers may not be in serious contention for Howard as was previously reported, but the Lakers may have fallen behind New Jersey and Dallas anyway.

Bynum has been averaging an impressive 16-point, 13 rebound double-double, and TNT broadcaster Shaquille O'Neal even went as far to say that Bynum was the NBA's best big man during a recent telecast.

Don't be fooled by the hype.

Bynum may be playing like the league's best big man right now, but Howard already owns that title.

Offensively Bynum may be more skilled than Howard and he certainly has a defensive presence in the paint, but he lacks Howard's overall impact and ability to change a game.

Bynum's seven-foot frame makes opponents think twice before challenging him at the rim, and while Howard is shorter than Bynum, he makes opponents pay for entering his realm.

And defense is where the real difference lies, because the Lakers really don't need Howard's 19 points per game, but they sure could use his rare knack for dominating a game without scoring a point.

If the sight of Bynum can be discouraging for the opposition then the sight of Howard hovering around the rim is downright terrifying.

You shouldn't pass up on the opportunity to acquire a once-in-a-lifetime player like Howard even if Bynum manages to maintain his current level of play and stay healthy the entire season, which is still a very big question mark.

Right now Bynum's knees look strong and he seems as healthy as he has ever been, but considering his history of injuries, that could change at any moment.

And those are high stakes when the future of the Lakers franchise may hinge on Bynum's legs.

If you haven't noticed, the Lakers do not have another player on their roster who has the talent to potentially lead the team forward, minus Kobe Bryant. Besides Bynum, they don't even have a player who could bridge the gap.

Some fans feel like New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams should be the Lakers free agent of choice since the team is certainly hurting at the lead guard position, but would you trade Bynum for Williams?

For the Lakers, acquiring Howard may be imperative in order to maintain the relevance of the franchise and the only way that will happen is if the Lakers are willing to part with Bynum.

It will be especially painful for some fans since Bynum is finally beginning to fulfill the promise envisioned since his arrival, but we must not be swayed by his glittering statistics over a short period of time. 

I admire Bynum's perseverance, and the player that he may someday be. But I like the player Howard already is a little more.