Dwight Howard to the Lakers in 2012 "picking up steam" ( Mitch Lawrence article)

[rondohondo]

The idea that Dwight Howard, the NBA's top big man, could end up in a Laker uniform in a mere two seasons is picking up steam, even after the Magic blew up its team last month by sending Vince Carter to the Suns and Rashard Lewis to the Wizards. Howard is reportedly taken by the idea of going to a major market to continue his All-NBA career, with his No. 1 preference being Los Angeles.

To enhance its chances of winning immediately and keeping Howard committed to the team, the Magic brought back Hedo Turkoglu, a key member of the Magic's 2009 NBA Finals team. They also rolled the dice by taking on Wild Gil Arenas, in a move that tells you how much faith the ultra-conservative owner, Rich DeVos, has in his GM, Otis Smith.

But the clock is running on the Magic, because Howard can opt out of his contract in July 2012, and thinks he can become even bigger playing in L.A.

Gee, what a novel concept! An NBA superstar center in a small market is looking to pack up and leave for the bright lights of Hollywood.

Didn't Shaq once do that?

Look where it got O'Neal. After leaving one of the top teams in the East, he won three of his four rings as a Laker, captured his only regular-season MVP award in L.A. (an injustice, if there ever was one), and became larger than life.

As much as Howard enjoys being marketed in Orlando, sources say he thinks he can do even better by moving to L.A., which has a history of getting the big stars, whether it was Wilt Chamberlain late in his career, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in his seventh NBA season, or Shaq in his fifth NBA season.

There, Howard can put on a Laker uniform and get a chance to play with Bryant, an idea that has to appeal to him, while Kobe still has another few productive seasons before he retires. The way the Buss family runs its franchise, you can almost count on another marquee player coming to L.A. to help Howard once Bryant decides to retire.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/2011/01/08/2011-01-08_lure_of_a_major_market_playing_with_kobe_bryant_could_woo_magics_dwight_howard_t.html?r=sports

I have never read anything from Mitch Lawrence, so not sure if he is just another Sam Smith who make up sources to get their own rumors out there .

The only way I could see Howard ending up in LA is if Bynum stays healthy for the next 2 years and becomes an all star( They have no other young talent to trade) . Then the Magic could do a S+ T of Howard for Bynum . The Lakers have no cap room until 2014 so there is no way they could sign him as a free agent without doing a S+T.

Anyways I am still holding out hope the C's will be able to sign him with all the cap space we will have in 2012

[Finkelskyhook]

Sounds perfectly logical to me.

If it looks inevitable Bynum might be one of the trading pieces going to LA next season before Howard opts out.

[indeedproceed]

Sounds logical, but I don't buy that Howard is actively thinking about moving to LA right now.

[ManUp]

Sounds perfectly logical to me.

If it looks inevitable Bynum might be one of the trading pieces going to LA next season before Howard opts out.

Yup, Plenty of reason for Howard to want to go to LA. A Gasol and Howard frontcourt would be a nightmare on both sides of the floor. A 35 year old Kobe will still be a problem assuming he plays smarter and stops gunning so much. A pray that Danny has a real post Big 3 plan.

[Jon]

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.  

[Neurotic Guy]

It's all part of an expansive plot to deny me the ability to sleep.

[bdm860]

Eh, how many articles were there in 2008 and 2009 about LeBron wanting to play in New York?

I ain't worried about it.

[PosImpos]

Eh, how many articles were there in 2008 and 2009 about LeBron wanting to play in New York?

I ain't worried about it.

Yeah, and that worked out great, huh?

Seriously, though, I think there are more likely places for Dwight to end up than LA.

I think this whole narrative about Dwight going to LA is played up primarily because it's exactly what Shaq did in more or less the same situation.

[pearljammer10]

Picking up steam for two offseasons from now. Ugh. We just got through this crap with LeBron and now we already have to go through it again with Howard....

[Lucky17]

It's just a thought piece. There's really nothing to this.

"Lure of a major market, playing with [superstar name] could woo [Team A name]'s [player name] to [Team B city name]"

Alternatively, I can say virtually anything is picking up steam if I write about it, thereby planting the thought in people's heads and forcing them to, in one way or another, talk or think about it.

Call it the "Inception school of journalism."

[BballTim]

Sounds logical, but I don't buy that Howard is actively thinking about moving to LA right now.

  Looking at the Celts and Heat, I'm sure moving to the Western conference is at the top of Dwight's to-do list. You need to be seen as a big fish to pull off that "superman cape" look.

[LakersFan_33]

Even I don't care about this - Why waste time by looking at something so far into the future?

[Overrated]

Hmm, Los Angeles is the last place I would expect him to go, mainly because the Lakers have regarded Bynum pretty highly. Perhaps Bynum's injury-proneness makes him dispensable.

[Celtics18]

Even I don't care about this - Why waste time by looking at something so far into the future?

Tommy Point for the Lakers fan.

[Who]

Sounds logical, but I don't buy that Howard is actively thinking about moving to LA right now.

Me neither.

Dwight still believes in his current teammates and their ability to win a championship ... only after those dreams are squashed will he begin to think about leaving Orlando.