NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers Would Be Stupid to Sell out for Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard is not worth the risk that the Los Angeles Lakers would be taking to bring him into their franchise.

While that may seem like a bold statement, let's take it one step at a time.

Howard is undoubtedly a great basketball player and he may very well be the best big man in the NBA.

In seven years with the Orlando Magic, he has progressed to become an absolute beast on the low block. He posted career-high averages of 22.9 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks last year to show the fruits of all of his hard work.

He's a franchise center, and there is no doubting that a player like him is hard to come by.

That's why the Lakers would be stupid not to perk up at the fact that Howard seems to be willing to head to L.A. and play for their organization.

We know he wants out of Orlando, so that shouldn't be an issue.

The problem is, he's not a free agent just yet, so the Magic are going to do everything in their power to get a ton of value back for him.

This is where the Lakers need to be careful, because not even Howard isn't worth selling out for.

With the Chris Paul trade looking like less and less of a possibility, Marc Stein of ESPN is reporting that the Lakers are shifting their focus over to the Magic's big man, but at what price?

Stein writes:

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"The Lakers, meanwhile, will now focus on trying to outduel the New Jersey Nets in trade talks for Dwight Howard. The Orlando Magic center publicly confirmed Saturday that he has asked to be traded, with the Nets, Lakers and Mavs on his wish list. Sources told Broussard that the Magic will ask for both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol for Howard; ESPN.com reported last week that the Nets are prepared to send center Brook Lopez and two future first-round picks to the Magic as well as offer to take back the cap-clogging contract of Hedo Turkoglu to facilitate the deal."

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If the asking price for Howard is really both Bynum and Gasol, this is not worth it for the Lakers.

This would be be severely crippling to their frontcourt, and keep in mind that Lamar Odom isn't around anymore, as he was traded to the Mavericks.

I don't care who is on the other side of the deal; losing two major players in the frontcourt isn't worth it, even if you're getting back a center like Howard.

At that point it would be too easy for defenses. All they would have to do is double-team Howard and push him away from the basket, which would essentially neutralize most of his effectiveness.

Sure, double-teaming Howard would open Kobe up for a ton of looks, but how far is that going to get the Lakers?

Kobe and Howard would only be able to do it on their own for so long, and that's certainly not a championship formula.

This would be a horrible idea.

If the Lakers want Howard, then they should try to go get him, but nothing good will come from selling out for one player.