Dwight Howard is signing with the Houston Rockets and now teams are forced to pick up the pieces and figure out their next move since not landing the free agent. The Los Angeles Lakers were under the impression there was still a 50/50 shot at re-signing Howard and now that he is gone, what is the next move for the team? The first is to take stock in talent already on the roster and gear up for 2014.
With Howard not coming back, Pau Gasol is officially staying with the team in 2013, as reported by ESPN.com There was a thought the team would attempt to either trade him or use their amnesty provision on the forward, but those discussions ended on Friday night.
Instead, Gasol will now move from being a power forward to a center like he played in 2009 on a team that won the NBA Finals. Metta World Peace or Jordan Hill will slide into the power forward spot. Gasol will likely fit better in the offense as a center instead of a forward.
Gasol is set to make $19.3 million in the final year of his contract. The Lakers would not have been able to afford both he and Howard considering the luxury tax issues facing the team. Now, the Lakers have over $70 million committed to salaries in 2013-14. Los Angeles will still have to use the amnesty option on one player, with the options being either MWP or Steve Blake. Do not even think about bringing Kobe Bryant into that discussion.
The 2014 season looks brighter since the team will only have Steve Nash's $9.7 million contract on the books. This puts them in a great position for the free agency frenzy that will take place next summer. The Lakers already have their eyes on landing LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. If they do not land a big name, they will sign several second-tier players to build a solid foundation for the future.
If the Lakers feel this season could possibly be a wash with the loss of Howard and Bryant still recovering, they may look to move an expiring contract soon for possibly young talent or lottery picks for the 2014 draft. The Lakers will not rush out to sign another free agent this summer. They will focus on working with the roster currently in place with the idea that rebuilding begins next summer.
