The Los Angeles Lakers added yet another veteran star to their roster on Wednesday with the surprising acquisition of Steve Nash from the Suns, and now all eyes have shifted to Orlando where the Dwight Howard saga never ends. The Lakers have seemingly been interested in Howard for years now and his defensive presence would be huge for the team, but there would be some complications with bringing D12 to L.A.
Adrian Wojnarowski takes a deeper look into the situation in his latest column.
Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash connected on the phone Monday night, discussing the parameters of a partnership that would've once seemed so improbable. Nash had the vision of joining the Los Angeles Lakers, and Bryant told him he wanted him there. This had come together so fast, so out of nowhere, Bryant is still calculating the possibilities of pairing two of a generation's best talents and basketball minds.
This is the kind of cordial recruiting call that Bryant and Dwight Howard haven't had, a silence existing for most of a year now. Bryant will not recruit Howard to reaffirm the Lakers as part of Howard's list of teams that he's willing to accept a trade and sign a long-term extension. For several reasons - including Bryant's respect for teammate Andrew Bynum - the odds of Bryant picking up the phone and calling are remote. Bryant would welcome Howard as a teammate, sources say, but he's shown no inclination to be part of a process of trying to convince him to come.
Unlike the Nash situation where Kobe had no concerns over offending one of his current teammates, dealing Andrew Bynum for someone who requires as much attention as Howard does could become an issue. The Lakers have had their fair share of drama over the years, and the last thing Bryant wants as his career winds down is to have a bunch of issues with the team in the locker room.
The Howard to L.A. rumors will likely continue throughout the offseason, but it's tough to see the two sides matching up. As is always the case with the NBA though, anything is possible.
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