Howard saga finally at an end?

Somewhere in London this morning, Kobe Bryant will be waking up with a wide smile on his face. Dwight Howard looks set to be wearing the famous purple and gold of the Los Angeles Lakers when the new NBA season opens at the end of October. Nothing is yet official, but ESPN and league sources have been strongly indicating through the press that a deal is done that will see the controversial center traded to the Lakers. The final deal looks set to be a four-team trade in which the Lakers will receive Howard and Earl Clark, the Sixers will receive Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson, the Nuggets get Andre Iguodala, and the Magic will end up with Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Mo Harkless and a 1st round pick from each team, as well as a 2nd-round pick belonging to Golden State.

How is it that Lakers always have this uncanny ability to re-invent themselves? Just when one era of Laker history is ending, the next one seems to begin. In the fifties there was Mikan and Pollard. In the sixties West and Baylor led the way. Wilt Chamberlain arrived in 1972. Before long Kareem was in town and he and Magic were running 'Showtime'. Only five year passed between Magic's last hurrah in the 1991 finals, and the arrival of Shaq and Kobe ahead of the 1996/97 season. After Shaq left, Gasol soon arrived. Now they have Howard and Nash to help prolong Kobe's championship window yet again. It's a truly remarkable tradition, one that only the Celtics could boast to equal.

Traditions and history will be written later though. The 'Big Four' Lakers may be the natural successors to the past dynasties, but they'll have to earn their place in Lakers lore on the court. It's hard to imagine a seamless transition. This Lakers outfit will stutter at times during the season as they adjust to a new style of play. If they're to maximise Nash's effectiveness, Kobe is going to have to share the ball more. He'll also need to show greater trust in his big men, - and Howard will have to earn that trust just as Bynum did last season. Kobe's scoring is going to drop of slightly - how could it not, playing with three other potential All-Stars - but he'll also use less possessions. I still think Kobe will score twenty or twenty-five a night, but he'll do so more efficiently with the open looks Nash and Howard can create for him. The Lakers were a solid, if not elite, defensive team last season, but Howard's arrival will vault them into the top tier. Howard's defensive presence inside will do much to negate the matador defense of the ageing Nash, and Kobe should have more energy to expend on offense, knowing that Dwight will be covering his back. Potentially Howard's biggest contribution will be how he helps the Lakers spacing. He'll draw double teams every time he posts-up, leaving Nash and/or Kobe wide open on the perimeter. The next challenge for the Lakers should be to find vet. minimum players who shoot the three to fill out their roster. Carlos Delfino could be one such option? Leandro Barbosa has also been linked with LA, and though he's more of a slasher than a shooter, the Brazilian would be a steal for the vet. min. and could play a sixth man role off the bench.

This trade is not just about the Lakers though. It will have a profoud effect on the fate of all four franchises involved. For Philadelphia, it seems a steal to me. They had been trying to trade Iguodala for much of the last two years. Netting Bynum for him was somewhat of a coup for them. Bynum doesn't look like he'll sign an extension so it'll be a wait and see scenario for Philly but it's a gamble worth taking. If Bynum stays and can continue to develop upon last year's dominance, they could build a contender with him and Evan Turner at the forefront. If Bynum leaves, the Sixers will likely drop back into the lottery and acquire better draft picks. Either way, this is Philly's best chance of avoiding the dreaded NBA middle ground. For Nuggets, this trade is somewhat more perplexing. Iguodala is a fine player for them, to acquire, but he plays the same position as Danilo Galinari and is not a major upgrade over Arron Afflalo, who they shipped out in this deal. Denver also gave up a number one pick, which really make me wonder is this deal one the Nuggets will regret in a few years time. A play-off berth and a spirited first round exit still seems the best case scenario to me, for this Denver team. As for Orlando, they come away with little more than a bitter taste in their mouths after arguably the most tumultuous year in franchise history. Arron Afflalo is a nice piece going forward and they'll have plenty of draft picks, albeit middle to late first-rounders. Orlando's best hope is that this team gets really bad, really quickly, so that they can get some quality picks are re-stock in the lottery, ala New Orleans this past season.

What an incredibly unpredictable off-season this has proven to be - one that has totally changed the landscape of the NBA for the coming years. There now look to be three outstanding title contenders - Miami, Oklahoma, and the Lakers - as well as a chasing pack that retains hope - Chicago, Boston and San Antonio. The coming season looks set to be one of most exciting in league history. Remember how great 2010-11 was before the lockout ruined all that momentum? It's time for the NBA to pick up where it left off and remind us all why it's the most exciting professional sports league around.