The Los Angeles Lakers are bracing for the worst with Dwight Howard. After pulling out all the stops in their sales pitch to convince the center to re-sign, they know they might not be in the running to land him once again. With multiple teams pushing for Howard as well, the Lakers are reconsidering the option of a sign-and-trade deal should Howard decide to go elsewhere.
Every team in pursuit of Howard are prepping for the free agents arrival. Multiple teams like the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks are clearing roster and cap space to give Howard a max deal. As everyone awaits the decision, multiple free agents are left sitting and waiting for the team that does not land the center.
The Lakers have lost confidence that they are the team to get Howard. Despite both Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash laying it on thick in the sales pitch, the front office is thinking the worst. Originally it was believed the Lakers would be willing to lose the center for nothing and clear their cap space for 2014, but now Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports they will look into a sign-and-trade deal.
The Lakers would like nothing more than to re-sign Howard, but his inability to co-exist with Bryant and head coach Mike D'Antoni have raised plenty of doubts. The Warriors have emerged as a serious contender over the past 24 hours, complicating the situation even more.
The Warriors and especially the Houston Rockets would be interested in working a sign-and-trade with the Lakers. Both teams have been looking to clear space and trading certain players away for Howard. ESPN reports the Warriors are aggressively trying to trade away players for Howard and this could be just what they need.
Los Angeles still holds a slight advantage over most teams. First, they have Bryant and if Howard wants a Big 3, there is no better player than Bryant. They have the appeal of California and the large market. Howard wants major endorsement deals and being the face of Los Angeles will certainly help in that effort. The Lakers can also offer him the most money of any team in pursuit of him. The lure of a five-year deal with more than $30 million in guaranteed money cannot be denied.
Howard could make his decision as early as Friday or as late as July 10. He has reportedly headed off to some secluded area to make his decision. Soon enough, this whole mess will be over.
