Are The Los Angeles Lakers Making The Right Decision In Not Trading Dwight Howard?

Are The Los Angeles Lakers Making The Right Decision In Not Trading Dwight Howard? by Chris Walder

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Not only will the Los Angeles Lakers be without Dwight Howard (shoulder) tonight against the Brooklyn Nets, but they will also me missing forward Metta World Peace as well.

The league has suspended World Peace (Artest) for one game after an incident that took place during Sunday’s 98-97 win over the Detroit Pistons.

With 1:48 left in the second half of Sunday’s game, World Peace and Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Knight got tangled up under the net. MWP then proceeded to strike Knight in the face with a cheap shot, which earned him a flagrant-one foul.

“He threw a punch,” Knight said. “He held me at first. I was trying to push him off of me That’s when he threw a punch. That’s when I tried to push him in the face, or whatever it was, whatever I did.”

Pau Gasol will start in place of Howard later tonight, while it’s still yet to be determined who will come off the bench in place of World Peace in the starting-unit.

MWP was suspended seven games last season after delivering an elbow to the head of former Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden. He also served an 86-game suspension for his role in the now infamous “Malace in the Palace” back in 2004.

The Los Angeles Lakers are 22-26 on the season and 3.5 games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Chris Walder is the Editor of Sir Charles in Charge. You may follow him on Twitter at @WalderSports