NBA Rumors: Magic Would Be Foolish to Trade Dwight Howard to Lakers

The Orlando Magic would be foolish to trade Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers because Orlando could get much more talent in return from another team.

Ken Berger of CBS Sports recently wrote that a Lakers-Magic deal is possible, and also mentioned another team close to the Lakers who have what it takes to acquire the Magic superstar.

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The Lakers' arena mates at Staples Center, the Clippers, also are believed to be willing to do whatever it takes to get Howard. The Clips have both the cap space to land Howard next summer and plenty of assets to entice Orlando, including Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu and a signed-and-traded DeAndre Jordan.

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The Lakers' best player to offer is center Andrew Bynum. Bynum is a good player, but let's not get carried away. He's not an elite player and his injury history is quite concerning.

Bynum's career averages are 10.5 ppg and 7.1 rpb, while Howard's career averages look like 18.2 ppg and 12.8 rpg.

Bynum isn't close to Howard statistically, and the young Lakers center isn't durable. The Magic need to find another trade partner to satisfy their need for proven young talent they can build another contending team with.

Lakers forwards Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol are aging players who are past their prime and won't bring a team like the Magic future success.

The Nets can offer a better package than the Lakers can. New Jersey has center Brook Lopez and rookies Marshon Brooks and Jordan Williams to offer. All three are young players who despite being very talented, each of much room for improvement.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are probably the best trade partner in terms of talent the Magic could get in return.

Players like James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Eric Maynor and Reggie Jackson are four fabulous young players that the Magic could really build a winner with.

The Thunder really don't need a center after acquiring Kendrick Perkins from the Boston Celtics last season, but if they were willing to part with Perkins, then the Magic must make OKC the team they pursue a deal with the hardest.

The Orlando Magic must find a team that can give them young talent that will help them contend now and in the future. The Los Angeles Lakers are not that team.

Keep dreaming Lakers fans, but your roster just does not have what it takes to acquire a player with as much trade value as Dwight Howard.