Just a week or so ago, the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic were beginning to heat up trade talks that would send Andrew Bynum to a third party team, the Lakers would receive Dwight Howard and the Magic would receive players and draft picks. However, since it has been reported that the Magic will hold onto Howard for the time being (although he keeps pushing for a trade) and while talks aren't fully closed, it has become apparent that the Lakers may have to handle matters on their own terms.
When it comes down to it, yes, I want Dwight Howard to come to the Lakers, but I'm slowly realizing that the possibility of it ever happening was never that great. Reports always seemed to indicate that the Lakers and Magic were on the precipice of a huge deal that would send the two best centers in the league to new teams for the 2012-2013 season -- and would likely do so without extensions in place; possibly creating a wild free agent market after next season.
But for now we all can just sit and wonder what might have been as Bynum's agent and Lakers' GM Mitch Kupchak sat down on July 25 to open up contract extension talks.
The more I think about it, the clearer I see things and I don't see why the Lakers wouldn't want to keep Bynum long-term. He has good hands, his footwork was much improved last season, he can block shots and he is a true big man. I think the main thing that always seems to surface when talking about the negatives is his maturity level. Sure he's just 24 years old, but he's been in the league since he was 18 -- a total of seven seasons. It's about time that he got his act together and grew up. If that happened, imagine how highly regarded he could be as a center and All-Star in this league.
However, until that happens, all eyes will revert back to Dwight Howard and how he would have been the better option. If I'm Bynum, I take this opportunity to clean up my act, maybe talk to a former All-Star center (cough - Shaquille O'Neal - cough) and see what it truly means to be a professional basketball player.
I've decided to take an "if it happens, it happens" attitude towards the whole situation. As Lakers' fans we really have to face what's happening. We're probably not getting Dwight Howard and the talks and rumors were fun while they lasted, but maybe it's time to set that dream aside. This could be the beginning of the end of the whole Bynum for Howard talks that we've been hearing for months.
Perhaps rapper Ice Cube said it best in an interview with ESPN in which he speaks on being a Lakers' fan and how he would rather have Bynum over Howard. He says, "Right now, I keep Andrew Bynum. Dwight, you have to want it, man. You have to want to come and be a part of the legacy. You got to want to have your jersey up on that wall."
Food for thought: Now that the Lakers are in talks with Andrew Bynum for an extension do you think the Lakers' future is in clearer view or are things still too muddled to see how things will turn out? Have the Lakers improved enough this offseason without acquiring Dwight Howard to be a better team overall next season?
David is co-founder of wrapupp sports blog where fresh content is posted daily and present sports blogs and sports opinions - all with a West Coast bias. Growing up in the Bay Area, David is a huge supporter of all the local sports teams; the Giants, Athletics, Warriors, Sharks, 49ers, and Raiders. His one fault, admittedly, as many of his friends and family would say, is his love for the Los Angeles Lakers. Growing up, Magic Johnson was his favorite basketball player and he fell in love with the team. He chalks it up to, "Not knowing any better". Now his love for sports has turned just as academic as it is intuitive and he follows most all sports all over the nation.
You can follow David on Twitter: @officialwrapupp
Sources:
CBSSports.com. Report: Lakers, Andrew Bynum open contract extension talks. NBA 2012.
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