Dwight Howard to the Lakers in a four-team trade

38, 34, 33, 32 and 27

Those are the ages of the Lakers starting five next season, and the youngster is coming off of back surgery. At four of those ages, you don't get better, you regress.

24, 24, 23, 23 and 28

That's the Thunder.

 

I definitely think the Thunder can beat the Lakers in a seven-game series. Probably 4-2. The Thunder are one of the few teams that won't have to double Dwight or Gasol, as they have Perkins and Ibaka (not to mention a solid defender in Nick Collison). That means they can stay on Bryant and Nash and whoever else.

Here's how I see it:

Howard > Perkins
Gasol > Ibaka (though the gap is not terribly far; I actually don't see Gasol thriving as much with these new-look Lakers as a lot of people do)
Durant > Metta World Peace
Bryant > Sefolosha

And then you bring Collison and Harden off the bench, AND a healthy Eric Maynor.

I just don't see the Lakers stopping the Thunder from scoring, but I do see OKC stopping the Lakers from scoring. Los Angeles doesn't have the wing or backcourt defensive talent to stop Durant/Westbrook and Harden, but the Thunder definitely have the tools to stop Howard, Gasol and Nash.


Westbrook > Nash

 

And he hired Jacque Vaughn as his head coach. Jacque Vaughn.