The Los Angeles Lakers have a potentially tenuous offseason ahead of them as they wait for Dwight Howard's decision. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant reportedly intends to play for two more seasons and, if growing speculation proves correct, could find himself playing beside current-Clippers All-Star Blake Griffin. If a Griffin-for-Howard trade is to happen, it has to happen soon.
Aside from Howard's impending free agency, a big question in Lakerland is Bryant. Bryant, 34, is recovering from an Achilles tendon tear. Although the injury is considered incredibly difficult to come back from, Bryant has stated he plans to return for the season opener. The Lakers projected his recovery time to be between six and eight months, but it's uncertain what form Bryant will return in and how long it'll take him to return to an elite playing level. The other question around Bryant is his future in Los Angeles: he's entering the final year of his contract and has hinted retirement is coming "soon."
Fortunately for Lakers fans, Bryant reportedly intends to play for at least two more seasons.
He wants to be "back next season with a vengeance" and wants "two more cracks at it to win seven NBA titles at least," a source told ESPN.
The question, then, is whether the Lakers would re-sign Bryant.
"...The team was planning to open extension talks with Bryant as soon as it was allowed to under NBA rules, which ironically came right after he ruptured his Achilles in a game against Golden State on April 12," ESPN's Ramona Shelburne wrote.
Extension talks likely hinge on how well Bryant performs next season as he comes off his injury, given the team's cap situation. Conversely, Bryant wanting to re-sign with the Lakers may depend on the shape of the roster. Would Bryant sign elsewhere in pursuit of his sixth ring if the Lakers team isn't competitive? Or would retiring as a Laker be more important?
Part of it may depend on Howard.
Howard reportedly wants to play with his friend, soon-to-be free agent Chris Paul. While the Lakers are confident Howard will re-sign with them, there's chatter of a sign-and-trade between the Lakers and Clippers with Howard-for-Griffin as the centerpiece.
Although it's possible, early indications suggest it won't happen.
The Clippers are reportedly pursuing a trade to send two first-round picks and center DeAndre Jordan to the Boston Celtics in exchange for coach Doc Rivers and veteran Kevin Garnett. Clips guard Eric Bledsoe is off the table and the Celtics are OK with it.
That'd allow the Clippers to offer a Bledsoe-Griffin trade for Howard. The Lakers will "listen to just about anything," but ESPN reports the team is strongly leaning toward letting Howard walk if he chooses to leave. One of the priorities for the Lakers this offseason is getting their financial situation in order to avoid a costly luxury tax once the "repeater" tax goes into effect for the 2014-15 season.
Letting Howard walk would free up a nice chunk of cap space and help the Lakers move closer to getting under the luxury tax threshold.
If a Griffin-for-Howard trade was to take place, it'd have to happen soon. The Clips don't have enough cap room to sign Howard as a free agent and can only acquire him through a sign-and-trade deal.
Howard becomes a free agent July 1.