NBA Trade Rumors: Los Angeles GM Mitch Kupchak Repeats Lakers Won’t Trade Howard

As the February trade deadline looms closer and closer everyday and a disappointing season thus far for the Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak reinstates that the Lakers won’t trade Dwight Howard.

Ever since the Lakers unveiled their new roster last year, consisting of an impressive starting five featuring Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, fans and even critics were excited and expected miraculous things to happen with this Lakers team this season. But as the season progressed, the chemistry wasn’t there and the team kept losing and losing, falling behind the .500 mark on several occasions.

Mitch Kupchack is obviously aware of the Lakers 22 wins, 26 losses record, however  no general manager can refuse a great offer that comes to them. Things could happen in a few weeks. Nonetheless he still insist that he won’t pull the trigger. According to Long Island newspaper, Newsday, Kupchak said,

"“We will not make a trade. We will not trade Dwight Howard. We have no intention of making a trade. It’s unlikely that we’ll make any trade with any of our principal players. To make another change at this time of the year being behind the eight-ball like we are, I think that would just make it more difficult. The talent is there. We have to find our way.”"

It’s clear what Kupchak’s intentions are and it would be quite foolish breaking up this team now. The players are starting to play well together and make it work. One of the last things they need is a big trade at this time.

Still with Howard signed to a one-year contract with the Lakers, the team wants to re-sign him in the summer and be the leader the team needs when Bryant and Nash retire. Everyone else thinking the Lakers will trade him are just wishing on a star. Face it, the Lakers won’t trade Howard. He’s here to stay, maybe for good.

Kupchack obviously wants to bring a championship back in Los Angeles but knows and realizes that it will take time, but even he knows time is ticking and the window that’s open for the Lakers to make the playoffs, is getting smaller and smaller.

"“I think there’s still time, but I wouldn’t say there’s plenty of time,” Kupchak said recently from his office in Los Angeles. “I don’t think anybody anticipated that we’d be in late January [four] games under .500. I don’t think anybody expected for us to have the record today that we do.”"

Still, with Howard obviously going nowhere, don’t be surprised if and when the Lakers make some minor changes to their roster and perhaps a big trade, possibly giving up an unhappy, benched Pau Gasol.