Lakers Rumors: Addition of Dwight Howard Would Give Lakers Tools to Beat Heat

If Dwight Howard winds up with the Los Angeles Lakers they will officially become one of the few teams in the NBA with the tools to beat the Miami Heat in a seven-game series.

According to reports by ESPN's Chris Broussard and Marc Stein, the Lakers are in the last stages of finalizing a four-team deal that would see the Lakers bring in Dwight Howard while sending Andrew Bynum to the Philadelphia 76ers. 

According to Stein the rest of the deal would look like this.

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The Lakers will receive Howard, the Denver Nuggets will acquire Andre Iguodala, the 76ers will receive Andrew Bynumand Jason Richardson, and the Magic will get Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Nikola Vucevic and one protected future first-round pick from each of the three teams. In addition, the Magic will be getting other pieces, including 76ers No. 1 draft pick Moe Harkless.

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Should the proposed trade be completed, almost every team in the trade benefits and becomes better. For the Lakers that improvement means becoming one of the favorites to win the championship next season. 

The Miami Heat have become the measuring stick for all title contenders, since they have made back-to-back trips to the finals in the last two years, there's a good chance they will find themselves in the same position again next season. With that in mind, the Lakers should be able to match up very nicely with their new-look team.

The Lakers potential starting five of Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace, Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard will be one of, if not the best, starting fives in all of basketball. 

Most importantly, the Lakers have added a player with experience carrying a team on his back and a proven winner in the playoffs. For years, Howard has made the Magic a contender regardless of who was surrounding him.

In 2009, Howard led the Magic to a 59-win season and tore through the playoffs as a three seed. Beating LeBron James' 66-win Cavs team that had swept their way to the Eastern Conference Finals.

With Kobe aging, the Lakers now have a player capable of putting the team on his back for stretches and instantly improving the offense. His athleticism and defense will also give the veteran Lakers a leg up in defending the Oklahoma City's of the world, whose athleticism gave the Lakers fits in their five game series against the Thunder.

The Lakers have a history of acquiring some of the greatest big men in the history of basketball—from Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Shaquille O'Neal, these big men have always brought titles to Los Angeles.

Now Dwight Howard becomes the latest big man to join the Lake Show and the Lakers will once again be in the hunt for the title.