Los Angeles Lakers: Is Quest for Dwight Howard a Parallel Move?

The yo-yo dilemma that surrounds Dwight Howard seems it may be coming to an end soon. With the Brooklyn Nets moving on, it seems that Howard’s suitors have been narrowed down to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets.

The Lakers seem to have pumped their courtship of Howard up to a full-court press. It was reported yesterday that Lakers personnel met with Magic personnel in order to try to get a deal finalized.

The Lakers, who have greatly improved through free agency with the additions of Steve Nash and Antwan Jameson, are having a fantastic offseason.

The one problem that I have with the Lakers pursuit of Howard is the fact that the trade-off between Howard and Andrew Bynum is basically even.  

Centers have a very short lifespan in the NBA, as the constant beating that their bodies take forces their careers to be much shorter than the smaller guards. Both Howard and Bynum have had their fair share of injuries. Bynum has knees that are in terrible condition and Howard is coming off back surgery.

These type injuries are not something to scoff at. Knees can destroy careers as quickly as Mike Brown’s temper rises after Bynum shoots a three pointer. A back injury can nag players to the point that Howard’s play could be destroyed (i.e. Tracy McGrady).  

Last season, both players’ numbers were pretty similar. Howard held a slight edge in almost every category, but his advantage in play was not overwhelming. When the Lakers got Bynum the ball consistently throughout the game, they were much better offensively. One of the problems they had last year was that they would abandon this offensive strategy and resort to an offense that consisted of everyone standing around while Kobe pump faked the night away.

In Orlando, Howard was the main focus of the offense. He definitely played on a team that did not have the same level of talent that the Lakers have. Despite these two different styles of offense, both Bynum and Howard almost averaged the same number of shots per game.

Both players have character issues. Howard held his organization hostage while they tried to make him happy by firing their coach and general manager in order to keep him happy. This did not work, as Howard still wants out. Howard has made it clear that he doesn’t want to be anywhere but Brooklyn and since this won’t happen, it is uncertain how Howard will react if he lands in Los Angeles.

Bynum seems disinterested at times, which is a major concern for the Lakers. When Bynum wants to play his hardest, he is one of the most dominant players in the entire league. The problem is you never know what you are going to get. When he is disinterested, it is one of the most painful things to watch in the entire league. He turns into a lazy defender and either doesn’t want the ball or jacks up ill-advised three pointers.

If the Lakers can figure out a way to keep Bynum motivated the whole season, the need for making a move for Howard is questionable. The moves that the Lakers have made this summer have clearly improved the team and shown that they finally realized that they needed to make changes if they want to return to being a serious contender in the NBA. 

The move to trade for Howard would be groundbreaking. It would set up the Lakers to have one of the most star-studded lineups in the Western Conference, but with Bynum’s potential and the fact that at the age of 24 he has gotten better and better every year, a trade for Howard is a parallel move.