Step-by-Step Guide for How L.A. Lakers Can Retain Dwight Howard Long-Term

Enough time has passed since the Los Angeles Lakers traded for Dwight Howard that everyone who has some sort of stake in the team can start to look toward the future. Obviously, it's beneficial to have Howard on the Lakers, him being the best big man in the NBA.

There is a little problem, however. Howard is only signed with the Lakers through the end of this season, and there's no guarantee that he will re-sign with the Lakers after the season ends.

Howard expressed interest to go to Brooklyn and join the Nets, plus he stated that he would be content to join the Mavericks, but he never really publicly supported a trade to the Lakers until after they went ahead and traded for him.

The addition of the best center in the league is going to be a boon to the Lakers defense this season, but they need to take the right steps moving forward in order to keep him in Los Angeles for the long haul.

If he ends up wriggling away from Los Angeles for some reason, we will see some of the worst Lakers teams since the Slava Medvedenko Era.

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