Dwight Howard: How the Lakers Should Adjust If D12 Misses Extended Time

When our long national nightmare having ended when Howard was finally traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, it seemed likely that a summer full of Superman rumors and speculation had finally reached its conclusion.

Well, not so much.

There are just two months remaining until the Lakers open their season, and there still is no clear answer about whether Howard's back will be healthy enough to suit up.

Howard underwent the surgery in April to repair a herniated disk and has been slower than expected in his recovery. Because of the strange nature of back injuries, no one can definitively put an answer on when we'll see Howard on the court again.

For the Lakers, this shouldn't come as a shock. The team knew about Howard's surgery and signed off on trading for him.

Nevertheless, for a team that was supposed to challenge the Miami Heat for the 2013 NBA championship, this uncertainty has to be stressful.

With that in mind, here's a look at a few moves the Lakers could pull off if Howard has to miss extended regular season time. 

Start Pau Gasol at Center, Extend His Minutes

We know that Gasol can excel at the center position, having done so multiple times in his Lakers tenure when Andrew Bynum was down with injury. However, part of bringing in Howard and a cavalcade of frontcourt depth was to lessen the 32-year-old's workload.

Gasol has played more than 37 minutes per game in each of his four full seasons in L.A., a rate that is wholly unsustainable for someone approaching their mid-30s. Extended minutes could come as a detriment late in the season, as Spain's silver-medal run in the Summer Olympics will undoubtedly cause some fatigue.

Nevertheless, Gasol will need his minutes if the Lakers hope to stick in the top tier of the Western Conference in Howard's absence.

The bright side of this situation is that if Howard's back injury forces him to return in the middle of the year, his addition could come at a perfect time for Gasol. 

Move Antawn Jamison Into the Starting Lineup

Jamison came to Los Angeles for a veteran's minimum contract in order to compete for a championship and to have fewer responsibilities as a player.

If Howard sits out into the regular season, that likely won't be the case.

Luckily for the Lakers, there is still a bevy of talent in Jamison's 36-year-old body. Playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, Jamison scored 17.1 points and grabbed 6.3 rebounds a night playing alongside young point guard Kyrie Irving. 

While his role will shrink even if he does start in L.A., playing in the Lakers' star-studded lineup should make Jamison a more efficient player. The former Tar Heel shot a career-low 40.3 percent from the field last season and seemingly had no interest in committing defensively.

Without Howard, the Lakers will need a reinvigorated Jamison in 2012-13. 

Rely Heavily on the Princeton Offense

With the Lakers switching to the Princeton offense for the upcoming season, it was no secret that Howard is the team's worst fit for the system.

An offense predicated on ball movement, versatility and a fluid switching of the "natural" position, the Princeton isn't ideal for a traditional back-to-the-basket center like Howard. The team would likely have to break away from the system throughout the game in order to get D12 his necessary touches in the post. 

On the other hand, the Lakers' offensive efficiency could soar with Gasol at the center spot and Jamison taking over at the 4. That would give L.A. four players who are excellent ball-handlers for their positions, a massive benefit to running the Princeton. 

The Lakers are unquestionably better with a Gasol-Howard combo as the starting bigs, but they may be a more fluid, higher-scoring offense with him in street clothes. 

It's not going to be an easy road without the star center in the lineup, but at least there could be some light in a sea full of uncertainty.