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It’s a beautiful day in La La Land…. #LakeShow
A four-team trade that would send Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers is complete,
multiple sources told ESPN on Thursday night.
A source with direct knowledge of the talks told ESPN.com’s Marc Stein the Lakers will re-
ceive Howard, the Denver Nuggets will acquire Andre Iguodala, the 76ers will receive An-
drew Bynum and Jason Richardson, and the Magic will get Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington,
Nikola Vucevic and one protected future first-round pick from each of the other three
teams. In addition, the Magic will be getting other pieces, including 76ers No. 1 draft pick
Moe Harkless, a source told Stein. Sources close to the process told Stein and ESPNLos
Angeles.com’s Ramona Shelburne that a trade call with the league office has been scheduled
for Friday to secure the necessary NBA approval to make the deal official. Lakers forward
Pau Gasol had been in and out of talks, sources told Shelburne, before ultimately being
excluded. One source briefed on Howard’s plans told Stein that the All-Star center will in-
deed stand firm on his intent to play out the 2012-13 season without extending his contract
so he can become a free agent on July 1, 2013. Going that route will enable Howard to decide
how comfortable he is in Los Angeles before deciding whether to re-sign with the Lakers or
join the Dallas Mavericks, who will have the requisite salary-cap space to sign Howard and
remain one of his preferred destinations from his original list of three teams (Brooklyn
Nets, Lakers and Mavericks). “If Los Angeles doesn’t work out for Dwight, Dallas will be
there waiting for him,” the source told Stein. One source close to Kobe Bryant, meanwhile,
told Stein that the Lakers’ star was estatic Thursday night upon hearing that Los Angeles
was able to complete such a significant transaction without surrendering Gasol. Bryant is
currently with Team USA at the London Olympics. Sources told ESPN The Magazine’s
Chris Broussard that Philadelphia has not spoken to Bynum or his representatives, and
has no assurances he will sign a long-term extension with the team. “The Sixers are willing
to take a shot (without Bynum’s commitment),” one source said. Although Bynum signing
an extension with the 76ers is not out of the question, according to a source, his stance all
summer has been he only will sign an extension with the Lakers. Bynum, who grew up
about an hour away from Philadelphia in Plainsboro, N.J., could sign a three-year, $60
million extension this season or wait to become a free agent after the season and be eligible
for a five-year, $102 million deal. Earlier Thursday, Yahoo! Sports, citing sources, reported
that talks of a four-team trade involving Howard have taken place this week and have
“grown serious.” Near the end of July, Howard met with Magic general manager Rob
Hennigan and reiterated he still wants to be traded, and if he isn’t, will leave the team as
a free agent after next season. The Lakers’ position on Howard had remained relatively
unchanged for the past few months, league sources familiar with the situation told ESPN
LosAngeles.com. The Lakers always had been willing to trade for Howard without assur-
ances he’d re-sign with them after the season, believing that once Howard experienced a
championship culture, he would want to stay.
