According to a report by ESPN's Dave McMenamin late Thursday evening those talks have cooled.
One source familiar with the trade negotiations said Thursday that calls between the Houston Rockets and Lakers discussing a three-way trade have cooled, while the Atlanta Hawks appear to be gaining steam in their pursuit of Howard.
With Howard's eventual destination still anybody's guess, the Lakers are turning their attention to adding a backup big man or two.
It's hard to believe that the Lakers have time to target other players with the attention they've devoted to Howard in recent weeks, but they are.
McMenamin went into further detail later in his report.
Aside from Hill, appearing on the Lakers' "short list" of names they are hoping to add to the roster for the veteran's minimum are Antawn Jamison, Elton Brand and Jermaine O'Neal, according to a source familiar with the team's thinking.
The Hill you see mentioned is Jordan Hill. According to McMenamin the Lakers are still negotiating with the free-agent big man's agent, but let's turn our attention elsewhere.
The Lakers are looking at 36-year-old Antawn Jamison. He averaged 17 points per game for Cleveland last year, but anyone who's watched him play knows that he's lost a step. He's not even close to the consistent double-double threat we saw for years in a Golden State and Washington uniform.
Los Angeles can offer Jamison the "veteran's minimum." I could see Jamison signing it. What veteran doesn't want a chance to win one last title? But the Lakers shouldn't offer it too him.
The Lakers have plenty o...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
