7 Reasons a Dwight Howard Trade Is Worth the Gamble for L.A. Lakers

The 2012 NBA offseason has been highlighted by the outstanding orchestration of the Los Angeles Lakers. L.A. has executed a sign-and-trade for two-time MVP Steve Nash, re-signed rebounding machine Jordan Hill and brought in an elite second-unit scorer in Antawn Jamison.

Unfortunately, none of their efforts have had an effect on the Dwight Howard trade talks.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year has been at the top of the Lakers' wish list for quite some time. After a series of failed trade attempts and more than a handful of falsified rumors, however, every potential deal has fallen through the cracks.

Nevertheless, the Lakers must push on.

Much has been made of the comparison between Andrew Bynum and Dwight Howard—the NBA's two best centers. Coincidentally, they're also the two key components of this blockbuster deal. If the Lakers have any know-how left in their GM hats, they'll make sure that the swap goes down.

Here's why.

7. Different Types of Immaturity

Dwight Howard is one of the most polarizing off-court players in the NBA. His indecision on where he'd like to play has been as frustrating as any act in the history of the league. The never-ending trade talks solely add fuel to the fire.

With all of that being noted, never has his on-court effort or production been questioned.

On the other hand, you have Andrew Bynum. Bynum's on-court effort is far from consistent and his in-game maturity is as non-existant as Dwight Howard's championship rings. No matter how hard you try to defend Bynum's abilities, that simply doesn't make for a player who is destined to lead a franchise.

Dwight Howard, meanwhile, has torched the hardwood for eight seasons and led a mediocre roster to consistent postseason success. There's no way around how much better of a fit Dwight Howard is for the Los Angeles Lakers.

6. Lakers Can't Wait for Andrew Bynum's Development

Does Andrew Bynum have the higher upside when comparing him and Dwight Howard? While debatable, it's fair to say yes.

The issue is the Los Angeles Lakers cannot base this decision off upside. They need to win right now.

Steve Nash is 38 years old. Kobe Bryant is 33 with 16 years of wear and tear on his body. Pau Gasol, meanwhile, is 32-years-old and exiting his prime. To put it kindly, the Lakers have a three-year window, at most.

Unless Andrew Bynum becomes the caliber of player Dwight Howard has proven to be from day one of the 2012-13 NBA season, passing up on D-12 would be a major mistake. Numbers don't lie, and age is the most important number of all.

5. Properly Complementing Pau Gasol

Elite backcourts are built by pairing a pass-first point guard with a dominant scorer. Top-tier frontcourts, meanwhile, are constructed by placing a scoring big alongside a defensive specialist.

At this very moment, the Lakers' frontcourt is elite on paper and overrated on the court.

Both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol are looking to score every time up the court. They're also solid, but not spectacular, on the defensive end. To properly build an elite interior, the Lakers must replace either Bynum or Gasol with an elite interior defender.

In that department, Dwight Howard is the best of the best.

4. Lakers Need Athletes

Arguably the greatest need for the Los Angeles Lakers is that of an athlete. They're constantly outplayed by more agile and explosive opponents and lack the necessary interior presence to fend them off.

Considering Dwight Howard is elite in each of those categories, it's safe to say that a cure-all is available.

Explosive doesn't begin to describe Dwight Howard, as his leaping ability is amongst the highest in the NBA. He's also a very agile player who is solid off the pick-and-roll and stout in defending quicker opponents.

Most importantly, he's the single-best help-side defender in the NBA. If you'd like to argue that fact, figure out who else has covered up Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson's defensive deficiencies and sustained a team's reputation as elite on defense.

Dwight Howard can be the physical specimen who pushes the Los Angeles Lakers past the younger Oklahoma City Thunder.

3. Why Assume Andrew Bynum Will Re-Sign?

Much has been made of Dwight Howard's early decision to test free agency after the 2012-13 NBA season. What we all seem to overlook, however, is that a certain All-Star center will be joining him in the open market—the Los Angeles Lakers' Andrew Bynum.

Lakers fans appear caught in the mindset that Bynum is certain to re-sign. The fact of the matter is, he's not. Although Los Angeles could offer him the most money under Bird Rights, there's no telling what an elite player will do.

That's especially true when the player is in their mid-20s and playing in as unpredictable a market as the NBA has ever seen.

For those who claim Andrew Bynum will re-sign due to the fact that he would make more money by doing so, the same can be said about Dwight Howard. At this point, it's simply a matter of which player fits the system best and who will offer the Lakers the best chance to win right now.

Dwight Howard fits that bill.

2. Defense Wins Championships

The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the most high-powered offenses in the NBA. Steve Nash alone would make sure of that, as he's been the game's best facilitator for the better part of a decade.

The fact that one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, Kobe Bryant, is on the roster only bolsters that belief. The presence of 17-plus points per game scorers Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Antawn Jamison places the Lakers above every other team in the NBA in terms of scoring the basketball.

Unfortunately, all-out offense means nothing once the postseason comes around. It's defense that wins championships.

Andrew Bynum certainly has the ability to dominate the interior with his defensive ability; his record-tying 10-block performance against the Denver Nuggets is evidence of such. Unfortunately, his effort on the defensive end of things is far too inconsistent to hang your championship aspirations.

Dwight Howard, meanwhile, is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year. His effort is never questioned on D, and Howard will always place making the stop over making the score.

All in all, D-12 is exactly what the Lakers need to win the title in 2013.

1. Dwight Howard Will Stay If the Lakers Will Win

The Orlando Magic have taken on the role of victim due to the unheralded circumstances surrounding the Dwight Howard trade talks. What we must not forget, however, is that they are far from innocent. The Magic did this to themselves.

It was Otis Smith and the Orlando Magic who opted to sign and trade for veterans past their prime, investing major money in their decreasing abilities. As a result, it was Smith and the Magic who failed to provide Dwight Howard with the only thing he'd ever asked for—an opportunity to win a title.

Should Dwight Howard come to Los Angeles, his predetermined theories of how it will be can be thrown to the wind. Howard has never been surrounded by as much talent as he would be in L.A., leading to justified expectations of his happiness.

Dwight Howard would finally be in a position in which he could win the NBA championship. As a result, D-12 would stay in Los Angeles.