Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Lakers Must Deal for Star Center to Form Big Three

The L.A. Lakers are sitting pretty right now, after pulling off a sign-and-trade that will bring Steve Nash to L.A. in exchange for the Lakers' 2013 and 2015 first-round, and 2013 and 2014 second-round draft picks.

Right now, the Lakers' starting lineup looks like this—Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. I'm not a mathematician, but the number of All-Stars in that lineup gives the Lakers the NBA's first "big four".

While that lineup certainly sounds dominant, the Lakers find themselves in an interesting situation where a big three might actually be better than a big four.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Y! Sports reported that the Orlando Magic's main focus, regarding finding a trade for Dwight Howard, is on landing Andrew Bynum, who is currently a part of the Lakers' newly-formed big four.

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As Orlando works to unload Dwight Howard, Magic focusing on Lakers' Andrew Bynum as top target, sources tell Y! Sports. Story soon on site.

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"— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 3, 2012"

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It's clear that the Magic want Andrew Bynum, the only question is if the Lakers are interested in acquiring Howard's talents for what could be just one season.

While there's no official interest coming from the Lakers in pursuing Howard, making a trade for Howard, and creating an extremely dominant big three is exactly what the Lakers need to shift their focus to.

We could argue until we're blue in the face whether Howard or Bynum is a more dominant NBA center, but Howard's production speaks for itself.

Trading a one-time All-Star for a six-time All-Star and three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year in Howard is an obvious move to make for the Lakers.

If the offers for Howard don't get more enticing from teams like the Brooklyn Nets and the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers undoubtedly will be offering the Magic the most in return for Howard if they are willing to part with Bynum.

If the Lakers offer a straight trade of Howard and Bynum, the Magic would be foolish to not pull the trigger on that trade.

Landing Howard this offseason must become a priority for the Lakers because without Howard, the Lakers are still not a lock to beat dominant teams in the West like the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Bynum lacks the elite level of athleticism that is at the core of who Howard is, and that lack of athleticism in Bynum's game is at the foundation of why the Lakers were knocked out of the 2012 postseason by the Thunder.

Kobe, Nash, Gasol and Bynum is a lineup that can certainly get the Lakers to the second round of the playoffs or even a Western Conference Finals.

Kobe, Nash, Gasol and Howard is a lineup that can make the Lakers a lock to make it to the 2013 NBA Finals, and that's what the Lakers need to realize with the Magic fixated on acquiring Bynum.

Nash's biggest strength is his ability to run the pick-and-roll and right now, Howard is much better at running in that offense than Bynum.

Maximizing the talent the Lakers have on their roster is the smart move to make, and at the foundation of that move is trading Bynum for the more physically-gifted player in Howard. 

The athletic difference between Howard and Bynum is the difference between another early exit from the playoffs and the Lakers hosting the 2013 Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy at the end of the 2012-'13 season.