Is Dwight Howard gone and are the Lakers on the brink of rebuilding?

[Derick713]

Right now the Lakers have a slim chance of making the playoffs. The roster is old and has no upside. The Laker back court stars are closer to retiring than being viable long term options. They don't have a bench to take pressure of the older players. The best young player the Lakers have is a free agent after the season and he has no reason to stay. The Lakers can't even offer Dwight Howard a competitive young roster once he reaches free agency. The Lakers also have a lack of draft picks and can't really get young cheap building blocks. It really looks like the Lakers will have to trade Dwight Howard before the deadline. At the very least Dwight Howard will net the Lakers a talent that is young and signed for multiple years.

[Hawkeye15]

Possibly. But a franchise as well run as the Lakers rebuilding process will be exponentially faster than most.

[Leftcoast_yg]

Lakers can give dwight more money and a longer contract than any other team and in 2014 can sign two big free agents. So no your wrong op.

[seikou8]

Lakers dont rebuild they reload

[justinnum1]

Anyone trying to build a contender around dwight is going to have a very hard time. he's a nice piece, but not a championship caliber #1 option.

[KniCks4LiFe]

They need to trade Dwight. For many reasons. But main reason is even Ray Charles can see this is not going to work.

[Cano-Montero...]

Anyone trying to build a contender around dwight is going to have a very hard time. he's a nice piece, but not a championship caliber #1 option.

Agree...

[bholly]

I've been thinking about this today. Obviously the first move they make is Gasol, but assuming that's too little too late to turn things around by the deadline, I think after that the next thing might be Kobe floating the idea of a trade to a playoff team (if not quite demanding one) - I have a hard time seeing him being satisfied with risking missing the playoffs this year just in hopes they manage to keep the same team together next year, and I feel if he wants out then the Lakers could be convinced that moving him and Pau and giving the keys to Dwight could be the best way to get Dwight to re-sign.
The two best teams I could come up with were GSW (maybe a Lee+Barnes type package) or Memphis (Gay+), both of which could go some way to kick-starting a rebuild and keeping Dwight on, while allowing Kobe to contend for the last two years of his career.

I haven't really seen it talked about much yet, I think because everyone's been assuming that they'll turn it around and that if they don't they'll just move Pau - but I think a possible Kobe trade could become a real story before too long.

[justinnum1]

kobe isnt going anywhere. the story would be kobe couldnt take a team of nash, gasol and dwight to the playoffs so he jumped ship. dont think that would go over to well.

[Avenged24]

The Lakers have one thing in their favor when it comes to rebuilding IF they play it smart.

The 2014/15 season, the Lakers will only have Nash on payroll ($9,701,000), that is if Dwight leaves.

The Lakers could very well ruin this if they offer Kobe another fat contract... But hopefully they'll be a little smart. With the type of players L.A attracts, and the cap available, I like their chances at their rebuild not lasting very long.

[bholly]

kobe isnt going anywhere. the story would be kobe couldnt take a team of nash, gasol and dwight to the playoffs so he jumped ship. dont think that would go over to well.

And I think missing the playoffs and having the same team next year bothers Kobe more than contending for the last two years of his career and dealing with that story.

[SteBO]

The major players in 2014 aren't likely to leave possible championship/winning situations for the Lakers. LA does tend to attract big-time talent though, so it's a wait and see type of thing.

[LAKobeBryant]

Either if we trade Pau or fire Dantoni we'll make the playoffs. If we don't do either then pretty much what you said.

(i know its like a 5% chance Dantoni will be fired but thats a choice i mentioned above)

[DoMeFavors]

Dwight is leaving its pretty obvious. maybe the Lakers could amnesty Pau after the season and sign Andrew Bynum the guy they traded for Dwight since Dwight is leaving.

[KniCks4LiFe]

Lakers still have the amnesty clause? Just trade Howard already and do it then.