Howard trade to Lakers set

Multiple media sources said late Thursday the four-team trade that would send Orlando center Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers was a done deal. Sources told the Los Angeles Times the trade was being finalized Thursday and would be announced by the NBA Friday. The deal, which was also reported by ESPN and Yahoo! Sports, would send Howard, a six-time all-star, to Los Angeles and also involves the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets. Orlando will reportedly receive a first-round draft pick from each time plus multiple players, including Denver forwards Arron Afflalo and Al Harrington from Denver plus Nikola Vucevic and Moe Harkless from Philadelphia. The Nuggets would get forward Andre Iguodola from Philadelphia and the Sixers would add promising Lakers center Andrew Bynum from the Lakers. The latest reports Thursday indicated the Lakers would not have to give up veteran big man Pau Gasol, who is 32 and has a hefty contract with two years remaining. Howard is the centerpiece of the deal. The eight-year veteran averaged 20.6 points and 14.5 rebounds per game last season and is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year.