Lakers Trade Rumors: Dwight Howard's Desire to Become Free Agent Will Kill Talks

Dwight Howard's constant flip-flopping and sudden desire to test the free-agent market after next season will turn the Los Angeles Lakers off to the idea of forming the NBA's next Big Three.

According to ESPN's Ric Bucher, Howard's agent, Dan Fegan, has denied that the superstar center would be content to sign a contract extension with the Lakers.

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"Dwight's position has remained unchanged since the end of this past season," said Dan Fegan of LaGardere Unlimited. "He fully intends to explore free agency at the end of next season, regardless of what team trades for him, including Brooklyn."

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The latest head-scratching report on the Howard front only prolongs this summer's circus, which shows no signs of ending anytime soon.

Although the Lakers have expressed their interest in acquiring Howard and forming the Western Conference version of the Miami Heat, they have to be fed up with the 26-year-old All-Star after reports on Thursday from Jarrod Rudolph at RealGM.com said Howard was "locked in on joining the LA Lakers."

Sure, Howard averaged 20.6 points and 14.5 rebounds per game last season with Orlando, but he is still recovering from back surgery and can at times be a liability offensively and more often than not at the free-throw line.

Howard shot 49 percent from the foul line last season and has yet to show any signs of improvement. That alone hasn't and won't turn LA off to him, but the argument can be made that Andrew Bynum, who is two years younger than Howard, has more upside offensively in the post, and is just as dominant a shot-blocking and defensive presence as Howard. Both players averaged two blocks per game last season and made the All-Star game. 

The Lakers already know that they have a top talent in Bynum, but they want the franchise-selling piece in Howard, a personality whose nickname is that of a superhero. 

But there is far too much contradiction and confusion in the Howard camp these days for LA to continue pursuing a future with Howard protecting the Staples Center paint. Howard's desire to explore free agency at the end of next season will prove to be the fatal blow to this summer's Superman-to-LA trade talks.

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