The Lakers go into the All-Star break with one major immediate concern and one major long-term concern.
Short-term, how do they measure up against their hallway rivals, the Clippers? We’ll find out Thursday night, and as Mark Heisler reports in this video with CineSport’s Noah Coslov: “It’s more significant than they would like. One way or the other, it’s going to be a real big upper or a real big downer.”
The long-term concern is Dwight Howard, and what his long-term plans are. Of course, that is not just a mystery to the Lakers, but a mystery to the rest of the NBA as well.
“Their No. 1 thought is they want to sign him to a long-term contract, but they’re going to run of the risk of him leaving. He’s the only young player they have who’s any good,” Heisler said.
As for Kobe Bryant, there are almost no scenarios in which Heisler envisions the face of the Lakers being dealt.
Almost.