Hustle

"Number 2: never let 'em know your next move. Don't you know Bad Boys move in silence and violence?"

- 10 Crack Commandments, Biggie Smalls

Well, he did it again. Mitch Kupchak has pulled off yet another blockbuster trade, and his second this summer. Dwight Howard is officially a Laker, and Mitch managed it without having to give up Pau Gasol. In case you missed it, here's the recap:

LA Lakers get- Dwight Howard, Chris Duhon, Earl Clark

Orlando Magic get- Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless, one protected pick

Philadelphia 76ers get- Andrew Bynum, Jason Richardson

Denver Nuggets get- Andre Iguodala

As you can see, this is a major trade, one that has the potential to shift the NBA landscape for the next several years. Miami is still listed as the favorite in Vegas and in many reporters' and analysts' minds. But make no mistake, the Lakers are back, and they're coming for the Heat. Will they win it this year? We don't know yet. That's why they play the games. But no matter what your team affiliation is, you gotta admit, the Lakers' chances are the strongest they've been in about 2 years. Remember this, the Lakers dragged themselves to the 3rd seed in a tough Western Conference with the shittiest bench in the league.  This may seem like a short article on something as big as the Dwight Howard trade, but believe me, this is only the beginning. With our new pieces, the only way to go is up.