I don't know. It makes sense if he wants to have an acting career. But otherwise, I'm not sure Howard signing a long term deal in the same summer that Kobe Bryant turns 34 makes a lot of sense.
Furthermore, even if they don't pick up Odom and Bynum's player options (or trade them) and manage to dump Walton and Blake's salaries, Kobe and Gasol are going to make a combined 47 million dollars. And that's not even taking into account that Artest has a player option for 7 million that year that he will undoubtedly take.
Given that the cap was 58 million this year and that the league is likely looking to lower than under the new CBA, I don't see any way that Howard ends up in LA unless it's through a sign and trade.
I think this is the primary thing to keep in mind about this rumor.
LA isn't getting him as a FA under any circumstances due to what they owe the other players under contract. Toss in the fact that there's just not enough talent to offer Orlando in a trade, there's no realistic way this happens. Bynum isn't enough to get Howard and LA's picks will be very low for years so those aren't an enticement either.
If Howard leaves Orlando, it'll be to somewhere else that can offer Orlando something significant in exchange. I think the Shaq experience will keep them from losing him for nothing as a FA. They'll either sign him longterm or trade him if they have no choice.
One remote possibility is a trade with Miami for one of their 3 prizes before the end of that season-->which ever one is not fitting in the best--probably Bosh. Howard fills a big need for them and it would take someone on the level of those 3 to get him in a trade. Clips would be a possibility too (using Griffin) if Howard really wants to get to LA.
Topic: Dwight Howard to the Lakers in 2012 "picking up steam" ( Mitch Lawrence article) (Read 10867 times)