The Los Angeles Lakers are entering an offseason unlike any other in recent memory for the team, as Dwight Howard may end up leaving as a free agent and the Lakers have to worry about dealing with Kobe Bryant returning from injury with the risk of star power vanishing from the opening night roster.
The main priority for the team is to bring back Howard, who so far has said that he is keeping his options open and all rumors point to him leaving. Howard had a tough season in Los Angeles with Mike D'Antoni and after going through the rough transition with the Magic, he may decide to bolt for another team like the Houston Rockets or the Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers are in a tough spot with or without Howard, as Bryant is coming back from injury and the team has one mini mid-level exception and the veteran's minimum option while also having to decide on free agents Earl Clark and Antawn Jamison.
Howard will want a max contract from the Lakers and while the team feels it is a priority to re-sign him, they may decide to let him go and wait out another year for players like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony to hit the market. Chris Paul is set to be a free agent but the Lakers aren't expected to go after him, but things could change for the franchise depending on how Bryant is recovering and what Howard ends up deciding. If Howard leaves, the Lakers would be in a tough spot and they would likely resort to trying to sign one of the other top free agents.
Josh Smith and Al Jefferson will be available and the Lakers would be wise to add more talent during the signing period, as the West isn't getting any easier with teams like Oklahoma City, Memphis, Golden State and Houston looking like solid contenders next season. The Lakers have a number of options they can go after in names like Monta Ellis, Paul Millsap, DeJuan Blair and David West, but some of those players may be asking for too much and the Lakers could decide to pass.
The team may be tempted to trade Pau Gasol in the finals year of his contract and the fact that he makes nearly $20 million will be a factor for the team. Trading Gasol could be difficult, but if Howard leaves that won't be an option. The team could amnesty one player, including Gasol, but they likely will use it on someone like Ron Artest rather than Gasol or even Bryant, which is obviously ridiculous. The Lakers can't truly decide what they will do until Howard decided what he will do and based on how things went in Orlando, the Lakers are in for a rocky ride.
West and Jefferson will likely cost too much, but Ellis could be interesting depending on the money he asks for and if Howard decided to bolt. The Lakers ranked sixth in scoring last season and they will need someone to keep that up if Bryant is out for a while. The team ranked 22nd in the league in points allowed and they will need to improve in that area next season to do better out West and they are also hoping for a healthy run from Steve Nash.