NBA Trades 2011: What Moves Can the Lakers Make 9 Days Before Christmas?

The Lakers have had something of a tumultuous offseason, with commissioners blocking trades and
stars venting their teary frustration on radio shows.

Now, the aging team is desperate for some superstar power that will once again launch them into championship contention. The squad from Los Angeles has decided it is necessary to capitalize on the last few seasons of Kobe Bryant’s career, and the front office has acknowledged that the current roster is not good enough to beat the Mavericks, Thunder or Heat to win the NBA title.

The fact that the Lakers are in a dire need for a boost to their roster has left analysts and fans speculating about which players the Lakers are targeting. Here are five major players the Lakers may go for and the likelihood that they acquire them.

Dwight Howard                              

Publicly, Superman has been the Lakers' prime target since day one of the offseason. The Lakers have a tradition of great big men, from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Shaquille O’Neal, and that list could grow by one if the team acquires the best center in the league.

The Lakers would get another superstar to pair with Kobe, allowing the Lakers to make one last run at the championship, while also getting a young player who can carry the mantle after Kobe. Playing with Dwight and Kobe will also be an attractive proposition for any other prospective free agents.

Likelihood:50%

Although the Magic have reportedly taken Howard “off the market” a few days after he seemed destined for New Jersey, LA should still pursue him with full intensity, especially with Paul’s arrival at the crosstown Clippers.

The Lakers were always Howard’s first choice and many believe that, despite his overtures towards New Jersey, he is most interested in playing with Kobe. ESPN is reporting that the Lakers have Howard as priority number one, which leads me to believe that it is not time to count out the Lakers, who seem willing to trade quite a bit to get one of the best in the league.

Paul Millsap

Many fans were shocked at the news of the Lamar Odom trade to the Dallas Mavericks, who had swept the Lakers in the previous playoffs, for a simple trade exception and draft pick upgrade. Now that the “disrespected” Odom got his wish and is gone, the Lakers need to find a way to obtain a player within the trade exception.

Most of the top-tier players are not available, but Millsap may be ripe for the taking.

Millsap, a talented power forward, is stuck behind a gluttony of talent at the power forward and center positions in Utah, from the disappointing Al Jefferson to 2010 first-round pick Derrick Favors to newest addition Enes Kanter. Millsap will struggle to establish himself as a dominant force.

Also, it’s a great situation for all parties; Millsap will be able to move to a championship-contending team, the Lakers add to their frontline to replace Odom and the Jazz clear salary cap from a crowded front court while adding a draft pick.

Likelihood: 20%

While this seems like a fairly good trade for all sides, it seems more likely that the Lakers are content to stay with their current roster when it comes to the big men.

Louis Scola

Scola was one of the players who the Rockets were prepared to send to New Orleans in the blocked trade, in return for Pau Gasol from the Lakers.

While the fact that the move never materialized was probably a positive for Houston (considering they would have been offloading several other talented players as well), the Rockets could still be a destination for Gasol.

He is reportedly unhappy in LA after having been shopped out for the past few weeks, with the Argentine the probable centerpiece of a swap deal between the two teams.

Scola in turn could serve as effective trade bait, as the Lakers attempt to bring in Howard. Of course, the Lakers are taking the risk that Dwight and other desired free agents will end up elsewhere, circumstances which would probably hurt LA (as Scola is a slight downgrade at power forward from Gasol), unless the likes of Kevin Martin or Goran Dragic are thrown in as well.

If He is Traded on for CP3/Howard: 30%

If Lakers can’t find suitors: 10%

Scola is a good player, but not as good as Gasol, and it is unlikely that the Lakers would attempt to go for him if they were not convinced they could use him in a trade for a genuine superstar.

It is also unlikely that a Rockets-Lakers trade would not involve at least one other team, in a deal similar to the one Stern vetoed last week. If the Lakers can’t acquire Scola plus other pieces as part of a larger trade, it is unlikely they will go for someone who will, in all honesty, hurt rather than improve this current side.

Aaron Afflalo

Afflalo would be an absolutely perfect addition to this current Lakers team.

As a shooting guard, he gives the Lakers an athleticism and skill on the perimeter that the current roster seems to be lacking, and would be an excellent complement to Kobe as he would help space the floor.

As a defender, Afflalo provides more hustle and intensity than an aging and overweight Metta World
Peace. The current Lakers starting lineup is too overloaded with big men, and the dynamic Afflalo could provide balance on the offensive end along with his tenacity on defense.

Likelihood: 30%

This trade would be an excellent move on the Lakers' part, but the Nuggets, after managing to Nene, will be desperate to retain Afflalo as well and remain playoff contenders in the West.

The one chance the Lakers (who would go over the salary cap if they picked up Afflalo) have is to get him through a sign-and-trade deal, which would be difficult to accomplish.

Deron Williams

Despite the hype over Paul, many forget that Williams, along with CP3 and Rose, is one of the elite point guards in the league, one who will almost certainly leave the Nets if they can’t acquire another superstar to complement him, a prospect that grows dimmer by the day.

Faced with the prospect of losing him for nothing in the summer, New Jersey might be persuaded in acquiring Gasol and a few other Lakers in return for Williams, perhaps during midseason if not before the opener.

Likelihood: 10%

The Nets, with their big move to Brooklyn looming, will look to keep Williams in the hopes that they can wrangle in the likes of Dwight Howard and keep their star point guard happy.

It would be an inspired trade if the Lakers' front office could pull it off, and somehow inject some more enthusiasm into a fan base that has been growing gradually more pessimistic as the offseason has worn on.