NBA Trade Speculation: Should Kobe and LA Lakers Pursue Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol?

Should the NBA lockout void the entire season—an occurrence that is becoming increasingly likely—the Los Angeles Lakers' pursuit of Dwight Howard may go down with it.

Without a season, Howard will instantly enter free-agency next summer, and Los Angeles has no cap room to sign him. Could the Orlando Magic still opt to deal him? Sure, but they will not have the luxury of choosing where, which puts the Lakers at a disadvantage.

That being said, Los Angeles has other avenues it can explore to ensure they contend for the remainder of Kobe Bryant's career while planning for the future.

Enter the Memphis Grizzlies.

Memphis' top priority, whether it be this summer or next, is retaining Marc Gasol, but should he show any inclination to play elsewhere, they may be open to a sign-and-trade.

Los Angeles has a big man in Andrew Bynum to offer in return, but he arguably holds more of a low-post presence than Gasol at this stage. However, Bynum has remained inconsistent, and Gasol is clearly on the rise, making him an interesting prospect.

A straight up deal is unlikely to benefit the Lakers, which is why Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo could be thrown into the equation. Gay spent most of last season on the bench, a year in which the Grizzlies turned heads, and if the right deal came along, the team could be open to moving him.

Groundwork for a deal could involve the Lakers sending Lamar Odom and Bynum to the Grizzlies for Gasol, Gay and Mayo. The Lakers receive a strong center in Gasol and an answer to their small forward woes in Gay. Mayo's consistency and overwhelming defense is an added bonus.

While the Grizzlies may be reluctant to engage in any major deals after last season's success, it could be out of their hands if they cannot re-sign Gasol. This deal provides them with a dominant center in Bynum, and level-headed veteran leadership—sorry, Zach Randolph—and versatility in Odom.

The Lakers obviously take on a slight risk in Gay, but he is only 25, and more than capable of returning to form, as well as a virtual lock to be more effective than Metta World Peace.

Does this trade make Los Angeles better in the low-post? Debatable. Bynum has a monster presence that is near irreplaceable, but at the same time, he has had a roller coaster ride of a career, and it is hard to tell which direction his stock his headed.

Gasol, on the other hand, continues to improve. He is slightly older than Bynum, but the 7'1" center is more athletic, and more importantly, consistent.

The deal could be a tough sell to some Lakers fans, but keep in mind, all of the incoming players allow the team to contend now, while providing pillars for the future.

Acquiring Dwight Howard was a long shot to begin with, but it is becoming an even more of a pipe-dream by the second. Los Angeles cannot be narrow-minded at this point in time. Bryant is aging, and the window for a championship with him at the helm—especially if we miss an entire season—is closing.

Los Angeles seems set on shaking things up, and they may very well have to explore realms outside of Howard to do this. Given it would be unwise for the Lakers to deal Bynum's size for a prolific point guard, targeting a trade for Gasol and Gay makes more sense.

Is such a move a risk? Of course, but standing pat may prove to be a bigger one.

Time is not a luxury the Lakers have at this point, and if last postseason's display is any indication of what's to come, the team is in need of some major change.

Contacting the Grizzlies could serve as step in the right direction.

You can follow Dan Favale on Twitter here @Dan_Favale.