After months of rumors and speculations, the Los Angeles Lakers finally nabbed all-star center Dwight Howard through trade.
The addition of Howard makes the Lakers one of the best out West with a starting lineup that will feature Metta World Peace, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant and Howard.
Many old and new Laker fans will pick the team as clear favorites for the title; however that shouldn't be the case.
The first reasoning would be Howard. Though he's still young, turning 27 in December, he will be coming off of back surgery next year. Though reports suggest that surgery went well, Howard's recovery will take some time. Also with all the beating and banging that he would have to deal with, we don't know if we're still going to see the same dominating Howard prior to his injury.
Problem two would be the Laker bench.
Though they acquired Antawn Jamison and re-signed Jordan Hill they still don't have a deep enough bench to compete against some of the top teams. They also acquired Earl Clark and Chris Duhon via trade, but can't expect much from them as Clark averaged 3.1 points per game last season and Duhon 3.8 points per game.
And because they have issues with depth, that leads us to the last factor they have up against them and that's intense competition.
For the Lakers to succeed they will have to deal with youth driven Oklahoma City Thunder team lead by Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. After losing in the Finals, the Thunder will look to make up for a lost opportunity at immortality. With big men Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins, who personally gives Howard the most competition as a defender, the Thunder are still clear-cut favorites to come out the West.
But let's say they manage to somehow defeat the Thunder in a series and move on to the Finals, they will most likely play LeBron James and the defending Miami Heat.
James has had an amazing year becoming league MVP for the third time, winning his first championship, his first Finals MVP and now an Olympic gold medal during the 2012 London Olympics.
Do you think after all of this he's going to let it all slip away now that he knows what it feels like?
The answer is no.
The Heat will have their core player's return, along with new additions Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis. They already have a more complete team than the Lakers right now and though Kobe Bryant is Kobe Bryant, it may be too overcome.
Either way it should be an exciting season for the Lakers as Hollywood's team will be placed under the microscope.
With Kobe leading the way, you can only hope for the best.
Write me a comment at r.anderson@enztarz.com.