Dwight Howard Lakers: Lamar Odom Trade Kills LA If It Doesn't Land Magic Star

The Los Angeles Lakers don't just want Dwight Howard anymore; they need him.

The Lake Show is in a battle with the New Jersey Nets to land the services of the Magic's superstar center, and there is no guarantee they'll land him.

According to ESPN's John Hollinger, the best possible deal the Lakers can financially afford, even after the Lamar Odom trade, might not be enough:

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To make sense of an Odom trade with respect to a future Howard deal, about the best I can do is a four-for-two deal that sends Howard, Duhon and Turkoglu to L.A. for Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, and puts Jameer Nelson into the exception created by Odom's trade.

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The Lakers would have to take on the horrendous Turkoglu and Duhon contracts, but it is the only way to justify their jettisoning of Odom to a perennial conference rival.

LA is considerably weaker in the front court without Odom and they're basically leaving a ton of pressure up front for young Andrew Bynum to pick up should he not be dealt.

It only makes sense that the Lakers moved Odom in preparation for landing Howard.

If they don't land them, the trading of Odom will come back to hurt them.

There is no denying that Bynum has great talent and could be a superstar, but he's not there yet and isn't the player Dwight Howard is right now.

Los Angeles sent away a supremely versatile and experienced big man in Lamar Odom for only a future first-round pick. If they don't find a way to land Howard, it will hurt them immediately.

Not only because he's not on the court for the Lakers any more, but because he's on the court for the Mavericks.

LA obviously knew this before making the deal, but if they can't land Howard, the Odom loss be a huge blow.