Dwight Howard News and Lakers Rumors: Center To Rockets or Warriors Likely As Free Agent Options Include Aaron Brooks, Nick Young, Andre Iguodala, Al Jefferson and DeJuan Blair

The Los Angeles Lakers have a very important offseason ahead after dealing with a disappointing season and the biggest part of it will be if the team can keep Dwight Howard or not and whether Kobe Bryant can return at full strength next season and some free agent options will be Aaron Brooks, Nick Young, Andre Iguodala, Al Jefferson and DeJuan Blair.

Howard is s superstar and will want a big contract and while the Lakers would like to re-sign him, there is a good chance that he could bolt for another team like the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets or the Golden State Warriors, which would leave the Lakers in a tough spot. The team loves Howard, but after he reportedly butted heads with Mike D'Antoni and struggled early in the season, there is a good chance he could leave. If Howard decided to do that the Lakers would have to turn to Plan B somehow and while there aren't any players quote up to Howard's level on the market (apart from Chris Paul) the team will have to consider some other options to get younger and better next season.

The west is only going to get harder with the OKC Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies as well as the San Antonio Spurs and the upstart Warriors and whoever signs Howard will be a force as well, putting the Lakers in a position where they can't sit back and wait for 2014 when LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are available. The team needs to get younger and they need scoring and the team already has questions to deal with when it comes to Antawn Jamison, Earl Clark and Jodie Meeks and past that they may have to look in other places.

The Lakers were ranked 22nd in point allowed this season and fourth in rebounding, while they were ranked sixth in scoring and 17th in assists per game while Steve Nash and Steve Blake were both hurt. While the team would love to have Chris Paul after that trade fell through, it is very unlikely that they will get the chance, as he will likely stay with the Clippers. The financial situation will put them in a bind so many of the players mentioned may be out of their price range, but without Howard and a possible move of Pau Gasol and others, the team could free up some space.

Marquis Daniels is a cheap option after starting 33 games with the Bucks last season and he could play some D for the team when needed, while someone like Elton Brand could also be interesting, as he could bring more rebounding and shot blocking to the team for probably less than others on the market after signing a one-year, $2 million deal with the Mavericks. DeJuan Blair is another interesting option as he likely wouldn't cost much and could be a solid player for the team in the front with his size and his skills and he could go well in the same spots with Jordan Hill.

David West and Al Jefferson likely will cost too much, but they are two of the most interesting players on the market and they both have skills that the Lakers desire. Andre Iguodala, Paul Millsap and Monta Ellis may fit that bill too, but the team needs more scoring and more youth and some of those players could provide both. The whole situation depends on what Howard does, but if he decided to bolt LA, the Lakers have options.