At this point, the Lakers have no choice. We will get to why eventually.
The Howard drama has gone on even longer than anyone anticipated. The Nets were the front-runners, but now it appears the Lakers or Rockets are leading the pack, according to a report from Marc Stein on ESPN.com.
All of that is because of Bynum. He's the only asset Orlando can acquire that measures up to Howard's low-post presence. Some may argue he isn't up to Howard's standards, but are you sure about that?
Bynum is easily the most gifted offensive center in the NBA. He doesn't play defense like Howard does (three-straight Defensive Player of Year awards before this year), but he did block nearly two shots per game last year.
Before this season, you could argue that Bynum had injury issues. He still could, but Howard's recent surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back doesn't leave him in a comfortable position either.
I would take a chance on Bynum's health before Howard's right now, and buy into his potential. Howard is only 26 years old, but he's reached his peak. Bynum's offensive game is still rounding out, and he's already more polished than any pivot in The Association.
Despite all of Bynum's obvious strengths, the Lakers have left themselves no choice. They have to move him. The Lakers' brass has left Bynum on the outside looking in, and the chances of him re-signing there after next season have decreased exponentially.
At this point, it's safer to hope Howard would re-sign. D12 claimed in early July that he would only re-sign with Brooklyn. He did this to expedite the trade process, and that should be different now. I can't ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
