Lakers Trade Rumors: Failure to Land Dwight Howard Signals Big Problems for L.A.

With L.A. falling out of the running in the Dwight Howard sweepstakes, what many have been suspecting for the last few weeks is starting to become a full-fledged reality: The Lakers are falling apart.

Failing to move Dwight Howard before the March 15 trade deadline could mean the Magic don't get anything in return for their superstar at the end of the season, but that seems to be OK with them. What's not OK is that the Lakers have failed to present Orlando with a package compelling enough to kick-start a deal for the one player that could help them redeem a season that is swiftly slipping away.

A source familiar with the Lakers' chaos told CBS Sports' Ken Berger, "This is a real critical time. The chances of Dwight Howard coming in there are slim and none at this point." Berger added:

"

The Lakers are a mess, have been decaying for a few years now. Once one of the finest and classiest organizations in sports, it is no longer a fun place to work, to put it mildly. From the Odom salary dump to nearly the entire scouting staff being thrown overboard, pennies are being pinched at a time when the Lakers have entered a 20-year regional cable deal worth a reported $3 billion.

"

And with the Lakers' front office in such a state of turmoil, their chances of acquiring Howard—the one player who could help them turn things around—are nearly nonexistent.

A source told Berger that a big reason why the Lakers have no shot at landing Howard is because executive vice president Jim Buss can't negotiate with other general managers since he has no relationships with any of them. And that's a big shame, especially since the Lakers can offer  Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol as part of a package, possibly the best option(s) out there.

But at this point, it won't happen because L.A.'s front office simply can't get its act together.

Howard, at one point, represented a light on the horizon for the quickly disintegrating Lakers. Now he's just another indication of how deep in trouble this franchise really is.