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

[LakersMaster24]

Enjoy rebuilding.

Bitter non Lakers fans.

The funny thing? The Lakers will probably win AT LEAST 1-2 rings in the next 4-6 years, while the rest of the NBA continues to suck ****.

[smiddy012]

Bitter non Lakers fans.

The funny thing? The Lakers will probably win AT LEAST 1-2 rings in the next 4-6 years, while the rest of the NBA continues to suck ****.

[TrueFan420]

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.

Warriors wouldn't trade lee and Barnes for either gasol or Kobe

[More-Than-Most]

Howard sees the young talent the sixers have and will come to Philly ray:

[Guppyfighter]

Bitter non Lakers fans.

The funny thing? The Lakers will probably win AT LEAST 1-2 rings in the next 4-6 years, while the rest of the NBA continues to suck ****.

You caught me. I am losing sleep over the Lakers.

[shep33]

If Dwight resigns, he and Nash will equate to about 30 million alone. Nash has finally starting to decline so he will at best be a back up by then. I would be surprised if he even plays out the entire contract.

We could easily trade Nash who'd be an expiring, but he can still play at a high level offensively. Dude is as efficient as ever. He might even retire by then.

I personally think if Dwight stays, LA will be the best scenario for him in two years. The franchise becomes his, he gets a max deal, gets to be in movies/tv shows, and has the entire city of LA behind him.

Now... I have no clue what he's going to do lol. But in 2 years, we can build him any team he wants basically.

[monty77]

No way. In the last 15 years Lakers have never gone through as rebuilding stage and it's impossible that next 2-3 years they plan to do it. There were 2 years, after O'Neal departure, when Lakers weren't contenders, but after it, they signed Gasol and reached three successive NBA finals.

I can't imagine Kobe Bryant playing without the chance of win championship, and I don't believe that he sign by other team so if Howard leaves the team, it's easy to see Lakers signing another good player in free agent market this summer.

That is why Lakers haven't traded Pau Gasol yet. They want to keep a good core to surround Kobe Bryant, and Pau could be the next Lakers center. If they sign a player such as Josh Smith to play as PF, they would be a contender with a lineup as: Nash, Kobe, Metta, Smith and Pau.

This lineup would be even better to D'Antoni system as Smith fit better than Pau Gasol to PF position. Howard is a spoiled brat, and Lakers will be better without him. Nobody realizes that he is playing without enthusiasm?

He has created bad climate in the locker room. However, if L.A.L want to fight to win, they must to change this coach because D'Antoni is no the man. Even Steve Van Gundy, or Scott Skiles would be better coach than him.

[LakerRaffy]

Lakers need to rebuild. I am so disgusted...sure hope my Dodgers dont lay an egg this year. Looks like NOR CAL has our number this year...F%$K ME.

[OA SLAY]

MJ coudda at least took this roster to the playoffs!

[BenFrank]

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=amt3y4e

[Corey]

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.

Great, that doesn't mean Dwight will want to stay.




You're*

[Big Zo]

If D'antoni is still there, I think he leaves, and they'll have some trouble attracting free agents.

[naps]

That's what happens when you play with a me-first player. I think the Lakers ****ed themselves up when they gave Kobe that albatross contract. If things go the way they are going I don't see Dwight sticking in LA just to watch a 77 years old Kobe leading the league in shot attempts.

[Iron24th]

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.

hater

[todu82]

Yeah, I can't see Howard resigning there. Also the Lakers are the type of team that doesn't rebuild they just reload.