So reports ESPN.com’s Chris Broussard.
Despite the chatter of the last few weeks, the news — safe to take at face value — isn’t at all surprising. Like everything else this year, Dwight Howard’s first season in L.A. hasn’t exactly gone as planned, but he’s still put up solid numbers despite not having fully recovered from offseason back surgery.
In the end, there’s no guarantee Howard re-ups with the Lakers, but unless he marches into Jim Buss’ office and says he will not, under any circumstances, stay, trading him a the deadline doesn’t make much sense.
Six reasons why:
1. Howard isn’t healthy. Not just the back, but the shoulder as well. If he’s in and out of the lineup over the course of the month — not an outrageous thought — it’s hard to believe the Lakers can get full value for him.
2. Not trading him now doesn’t mean he can’t be traded later. The CBA prevents the Lakers from acquiring a player in a sign-and-trade, but they could still move Howard in one (where another team does the signing) this summer.
3. If it comes to that, the chances of putting together a solid trade goes up in the offseason, when the landscape has more clarity and it’s easier to work a plan in line with long-term plans, rather than a panicked attempt to save a season.
4. The Lakers really shouldn’t try to do anything centered (no pun intended) around this year. They’re 10th in the Western Conference, despite Wednesday’s solid in over Brooklyn, and will have to do yeoman’s work just to make the playoffs. Dwight’s been hurt. Nash has been hurt. Jordan Hill is done for the year. Now Pau Gasol is hurt. There’s a chance things could turn around in a manner more significant than simply earning a playoff berth, but a larger chance (a much, much larger chance) they won’t.
5. This season notwithstanding, there’s still every reason to believe a healthy Howard is a franchise cornerstone player. One of the five best players in the league. Players of his caliber are incredibly difficult to find, and should be jettisoned with extreme care. The Lakers gave up significant assets to make Howard a Laker. It’s too early to pull the plug out of fear he could leave over the summer.
6. Even if he walks, the Lakers can use that as the impetus to lose other pieces of payroll (eyes on Pau) and start a CBA demanded rebuild. At some point, the Lakers have to find their way under the tax threshold, with or without Howard. If he goes, the process gets that much easier.
There’s no guarantee Howard remains in L.A. after the year. I get that. It’s possible they could lose him for nothing. But the risk isn’t overwhelming, and can still be dealt with down the road.
Why freak out early?
The post Sources: Dwight Howard won’t be traded (before the deadline, at least) appeared first on Land O'Lakers | Andy and Brian Kamenetzky on the Lakers, NBA, and Anything Else That Comes to Mind.
