I know there is exciting talk of Dwight Howard coming to the Lakers and creating an elite team in the West, but I do not think the trade would be a good idea for the Lakers. The Lakers already have a good center in Andrew Bynum, and while he does have a track record of getting injured, he is still an all star. While Dwight Howard might be a better player, the difference between Bynum and Howard is not significant enough to make a blockbuster trade. When do two all stars who play the same position ever get traded for each other? The only scenario in which I can see this working out is if both players are disgruntled with their current teams. Howard is definitely not happy with the Magic, but as far as any of us know, Bynum is quite content to be a Laker. To get Howard, the Lakers would likely have to give up Bynum and more. I don't think this is worth it for the Lakers because Howard is not that much better than Bynum.
About the Lakers wanting to acquire Howard, why is everyone so obsessed with creating a juggernaut team on paper? Real sports is no video game. Time and time again it has been proven that team made through trades and free agency do not always win championships, and often perform poorly. Athletes are humans, not robots. Factors other than talent determine whether a team wins. Take Lamar Odom, who had a horrible season because he simply did not want play for Dallas. The Philadelphia Eagles created a dream team in free agency, and they failed to make the playoffs for a number of reasons. There are a few exceptions to this idea, but they are often special cases. The 2009 Yankees won the World Series and made a number of major offseason acquisitions including Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, Nick Swisher, and AJ Burnett. However, the Yankees already had the core of their roster in place, and these players filled subsidiary roles. The exception would be CC Sabathia, but he is just the case of an innings eater and a good player on a team that scores a lot of runs. The Miami Heat did win it all this year with their hallowed Big 3, but LeBron, Wade, and Bosh had already been together for a year. The first season they were together, while they did have much success, ended horrifically in the finals. Teams are better built through the draft and developing young talent. Bill Belichick's Patriots are always in contention because they know how to draft. The New York Giants were able to have repeated success the Patriots because they could do the same. The San Francisco Giants have developed a solid group of young pitchers who have been able to make a winner out of little offensive aid. These teams are more consistent because their organizations have helped them create winners out of talent as opposed to buying talent.
The AL Wild Card race is wild enough to be noteworthy. As of today, there are 8 teams within 4 games of the two wild card spots. To make the race even more wild, the AL Central is up for grabs, and the loser is by no means guaranteed a Wild Card spot. Even the teams that have big leads, the Yankees and Rangers, have stumbled recently. That would put 11 of the 14 teams in the AL within striking distance of a playoff spot. Yet, I do not think this will last for very long. Teams like the Orioles and the Indians who are younger and might normally try to go after a veteran starter to boost their rotations or another bat might not get that opportunity given that so many teams are in contention and are not willing to part with those players. A guy like Doug Fister, who last year catapulted the Tigers into the playoff last year will not likely not be available. For this reason, I think the teams with the advantage are the ones with more complete clubs and injured players who will return in the coming months. Teams Yankees and Rangers have complete relatively rosters, and they should have the advantage going forward in that they likely will not have to add anyone. The Rays are also in an advantageous position because they have good starting depth and should get Evan Longoria back who will make all the difference both offensively and defensively. Those teams are my favorites to make the playoffs going forward. In the end, I think the Yankees will hold the AL East, the Rangers will win the AL West, the Tigers will win a tight race in the AL Central, and the Rays and Angels will nab the Wild Card spots. Then again, a team that gets on fire near the end might very well make the playoffs and win everything.
About the Lakers wanting to acquire Howard, why is everyone so obsessed with creating a juggernaut team on paper? Real sports is no video game. Time and time again it has been proven that team made through trades and free agency do not always win championships, and often perform poorly. Athletes are humans, not robots. Factors other than talent determine whether a team wins. Take Lamar Odom, who had a horrible season because he simply did not want play for Dallas. The Philadelphia Eagles created a dream team in free agency, and they failed to make the playoffs for a number of reasons. There are a few exceptions to this idea, but they are often special cases. The 2009 Yankees won the World Series and made a number of major offseason acquisitions including Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, Nick Swisher, and AJ Burnett. However, the Yankees already had the core of their roster in place, and these players filled subsidiary roles. The exception would be CC Sabathia, but he is just the case of an innings eater and a good player on a team that scores a lot of runs. The Miami Heat did win it all this year with their hallowed Big 3, but LeBron, Wade, and Bosh had already been together for a year. The first season they were together, while they did have much success, ended horrifically in the finals. Teams are better built through the draft and developing young talent. Bill Belichick's Patriots are always in contention because they know how to draft. The New York Giants were able to have repeated success the Patriots because they could do the same. The San Francisco Giants have developed a solid group of young pitchers who have been able to make a winner out of little offensive aid. These teams are more consistent because their organizations have helped them create winners out of talent as opposed to buying talent.
The AL Wild Card race is wild enough to be noteworthy. As of today, there are 8 teams within 4 games of the two wild card spots. To make the race even more wild, the AL Central is up for grabs, and the loser is by no means guaranteed a Wild Card spot. Even the teams that have big leads, the Yankees and Rangers, have stumbled recently. That would put 11 of the 14 teams in the AL within striking distance of a playoff spot. Yet, I do not think this will last for very long. Teams like the Orioles and the Indians who are younger and might normally try to go after a veteran starter to boost their rotations or another bat might not get that opportunity given that so many teams are in contention and are not willing to part with those players. A guy like Doug Fister, who last year catapulted the Tigers into the playoff last year will not likely not be available. For this reason, I think the teams with the advantage are the ones with more complete clubs and injured players who will return in the coming months. Teams Yankees and Rangers have complete relatively rosters, and they should have the advantage going forward in that they likely will not have to add anyone. The Rays are also in an advantageous position because they have good starting depth and should get Evan Longoria back who will make all the difference both offensively and defensively. Those teams are my favorites to make the playoffs going forward. In the end, I think the Yankees will hold the AL East, the Rangers will win the AL West, the Tigers will win a tight race in the AL Central, and the Rays and Angels will nab the Wild Card spots. Then again, a team that gets on fire near the end might very well make the playoffs and win everything.
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