NBA Trade Rumors: Why the Lakers Should Strike on Dwight Howard Quickly

To say it hasn't been a very productive offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers would be a huge understatement.

The Lakers failed to acquire Chris Paul, traded Lamar Odom for next to nothing and have done very little to improve a team that was bounced early from last season's playoffs.

But all that can change quickly because the Lakers may have just caught a break.

The New Jersey Nets have been considered the front runners to land Orlando center Dwight Howard, but their main trade chip, center Brook Lopez, will be out of action until mid-February after needing surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot.

That means the Lakers have a chance on Howard, but they need to strike quickly.

It won't be easy, though. The Magic turned down a deal that would have given them salary cap relief by the Nets taking the contracts of both Chris Duhon and Hedo Turkoglu. They also would have received a first-round pick and two good players in Lopez and Gerald Wallace.

The Lakers can't come close to matching that, but they can get creative by getting another team or two involved and make a good offer.

They need to act quickly though.

If they can take advantage of the Lopez injury and basically become the last team standing in the Howard sweepstakes, the Magic could be forced to take as good as an offer as the Lakers present.

The longer they wait, though, the less chance they have. If the Lakers don't pounce on the opportunity right now and wait until Lopez gets healthy, the Nets will once again be in the mix and likely become the favorites to land Howard.

At the end of the day, the Lakers have an opportunity. We will see if they take advantage of it.