A few days ago, the word around the rumor mill was that the Nets were hot for Dwight Howard, possibly offering a trade of center Brook Lopez and two future first round picks to entice Orlando to make a deal.

The New Jersey Nets wasn’t the only franchise vying for Howard however and now it seems that the Los Angeles Lakers could have their own juicy package to get to the star center.

Although this might not surprise too many people, what could come as a shocker is that the Lakers could not only want to bring Howard to town but also New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul who becomes a free agent in 2012.

New Orleans’ Hornets general manager Dell Demps knows that he can’t keep Paul playing in the Big Easy, the allure of going to a big city team, along with other factors, is just too much to hope that he stays. According to insider sources, the Lakers and Hornets talked several days ago but it’s still not clear what it would take to get a deal done.

As far as Dwight Howard goes, having Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and him playing together would be a dream come true for scores of Lakers fans, but the reality is that such a blockbuster trade is unlikely to happen. A much more feasible scenario would be that the Lakers get one or the other.

The Lakers have already had the experience of pairing up a big center with Bryant, the combination could work once again. If it were up to Kobe, some writers speculate that he would prefer to have some fresh blood and younger legs added to the team. It’s not up to him however, so we might end up seeing Howard and Bryant on the roster.

On the other hand, a dominant point guard such as Paul could create space for Bryant to maneuver and do his thing. It’s for this reason that Paul might actually be a better fit with the Lakers than Howard.

It’s a short season this year due to the lockout and teams are taking their time with trades and offers; with Christmas Day, and the tip off for the season, fast approaching it’s clear that NBA fans everywhere will soon know which teams, and with what players, are more likely to make it to the Championship. 

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