NBA Trade Rumors: Would Dwight Howard or Chris Paul Be Better for Lakers?

When it was announced that the 2011 NBA season would tip off on Christmas day, the excitement quickly grew across the nation.

With that excitement came offseason rumors and speculation of who could be on the move and where they could land.

The two biggest names that have been brought up in rumors are Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and Chris Paul in New Orleans.

The biggest stars have seen their names thrown around to the biggest teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers.

There has been talk that one of the two, if not both, could potentially end up on the same team with Kobe Bryant.

Forget the big three in Miami. Can you imagine a team with Bryant, Howard and Paul?

That's a big three worth talking about.

However, as nice as all this talk and speculation may seem, it's highly unlikely that the Lakers could bring in both of these highly touted athletes.

That doesn't mean that they couldn't bring in one.

The question, now, is which one would be a better fit and a better acquisition on the roster.

Although Dwight Howard may be the bigger talent, Chris Paul would likely be the better addition in L.A.

A Howard trade would likely involve a swap of centers. The Lakers already have Andrew Bynum, and would likely incorporate him into the trade.

But look at what the Lakers have at point guard. Derek Fisher and Steve Blake are not going to get the job done.

Having Chris Paul starting at point guard, which will be important for the Lakers now that Phil Jackson and the triangle offense is gone, would bring a huge upside.

Howard and Paul would both be enormous additions to an already talented Los Angeles team, but Paul seems to be the more important to go after.