Maybe the Lakers should mimic the Celtics

It's official now. Dwight Howard has spurned the Los Angeles Lakers and will sign with the Houston Rockets. He said so on Twitter earlier tonight:

I've decided to become a member of the Houston Rockets. I feel its the best place for me and I am excited (cont) http://t.co/h8WK4yP3zB
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) July 6, 2013

While that's obviously good news for the Rockets and their fans, including one Emmy-winning actor ...

... the bad news for the Lakers is that they are down one key element to what they hoped would be a championship formula.

So, what should the Lakers do now? It's probably too late for them to acquire anyone of significance, and what they have now -- Kobe Bryant coming off a torn Achilles tendon, an aging Steve Nash and a sliding Pau Gasol -- isn't going to be good enough to keep them competitive in the Western Conference.

Frankly, the Lakers should take a page out of the Boston Celtics playbook and start trading away whoever has significant market value for draft picks and role players. Make this team as bad as it can be so it enters the NBA Draft lottery, where it might be able to pick up a new centerpiece. It's a risky move, but it's one they should consider given the competitive disadvantage they face in the West when compared to an improved Houston squad, an improved Golden State squad (thanks to the addition of Andre Iguodala) and
an improved L.A. Clippers squad. And I haven't factored in San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Memphis, all of whom will be tough to beat.

It's more likely that the Lakers will try to hang on to what they have and hope it's good enough to remain in the mix for a championship. But with Howard spurning them for Houston, you have to think that even he knows his best chance for an NBA title lies somewhere other than L.A.

So to Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, I say, "There is no shame in knocking something down in order to rebuild it stronger." Start trading.