Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Must Do Everything They Can to Get Dwight Howard

The Los Angeles Lakers' biggest move this offseason has to be cementing their future with the addition of Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic.

When the Lakers traded Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks, it left a void in their starting rotation that has to be filled with superstar like Howard. Losing Odom left a lot of questions as to why the Lakers made that move. 

Former Lakers great and NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson took to his Twitter account to question the organization, saying: 

According to the LATimes the Lakers may have a master plan they are working on.

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In Orlando, the agent for Howard was given permission last week to speak to three teams about a trade — the Lakers, Dallas and New Jersey — but the Magic held out hope the franchise center could be convinced to stay. 

Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said Monday the Lakers were "pursuing big deals right now."  

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However, word broke today from ESPN’s Marc Stein’s Twitter account that the Portland Trail Blazers have emerged in a trade scenario that would send Howard to the New Jersey Nets.  

If that is the case, then the Lakers have to find a way to offer a big piece from their team to block this trade. They could propose an offer to Orlando that would send the Magic Andrew Bynum or Paul Gasol and one of their two first-round draft picks.  

Would that be enough for Orlando? 

If it would not be enough, then the Lakers have to find a way to make it work. Should Orlando want Gasol or Bynum plus the two first-round picks, then the Lakers should make this move.  

Howard is one of those “once in a lifetime" players that you build a franchise around. With the Lakers long lineage of dominant centers, he would fit right in with the franchise.  

Howard will get traded from Orlando some time this year. The Lakers have a lot of pieces they can offer the Magic. They just have to listen to whatever Orlando wants and meet their needs to complete this trade.

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