NBA Rumors: Pairing Chris Paul and Dwight Howard Is Great for the League

We've assumed all along that Dwight Howard would end up wearing a Lakers uniform and Chris Paul would eventually put on a New York Knicks jersey.

But what if that doesn't happen?

What if the highly sought after duo takes a completely different route all together? What if Paul and Howard end up on the same team after the 2011-12 season?

While that would likely be the Knicks or Lakers, and fans of those teams would hate this idea, the NBA would love it.

Looking around the NBA, dynamic duo's are becoming the norm. Looking at the Miami Heat and their "Big Three," maybe that's bad for the NBA in the long run. Only one or two teams in the next decade will likely to be able to match what the Heat currently have.

Of course, that doesn't always lead to championships. The Dallas Mavericks proved that having one superstar surrounded by a bunch of good players is also a recipe for success.

But forming a dynamic duo may be the route that the NBA would like to see their teams go. Especially if Paul and Howard end up with a team that's currently not a contender.

Looking at the NBA now, how many teams have a realistic shot at winning the title this season?Even before free agency begins, there aren't many; less than a third of the league.

If Paul and Howard ended up playing together, that would give the NBA another contender. With teams in the larger NBA markets already having success, it would give the NBA another team in another market that could turn into contenders.

Paul and Howard together instantly turn a perennial bad team into a good team.

But, in that theory there also lies the problem. These two guys are stars and want to play in the larger markets and already established teams.

While Howard could still end up in Los Angeles and Paul in New York, other options could present themselves.

Ultimately, it could end up being good for the league if they end up paired together.