Lakers Trade Rumors: Chris Paul or Dwight Howard Destined to Land in Los Angeles

As the rumors surrounding Chris Paul and Dwight Howard to Los Angeles continue to surface as NBA training camps are set to begin on Friday, it seems more and more that one of these guys is going to end up in a Lakers uniform.

They are almost destined to.

After the Miami Heat and New York Knicks loaded up last season, you figured it would only be a matter of time before the Lakers followed suit.

Notice, though, I only said one of them.

I still don't feel that the Lakers have the assets to acquire both as many feel they will. It's easy to say that you will trade anyone to acquire the two stars, but on the other hand you have to have parts that other teams want as well.

I'm not saying it can't happen, but it seems unlikely.

The one thing that the Lakers do have going for them is that both Paul and Howard are going to have to sign contract extensions for any team to really part with anything for them. Paired together in Los Angeles and with Kobe Bryant, there's very little doubt that they wouldn't.

If no other situation presented itself where the two superstars would sign anywhere else, then the Lakers move to the front of the list.

However, if the option presents itself to only get one, I would lean towards Howard first. Howard has had his eye on Los Angeles for some time while Paul still wants to end up in New York.

At the end of the day though, the Lakers will get at least one superstar. They're destined to.