Los Angeles Lakers all-star center Dwight Howard's injury condition is still unclear, as he's considered day-to-day as the Lakers continue their 7-game road trip. His status for Friday night's game in Minnesota is still uncertain, dealing with a partially torn labrum in his right shoulder, according to Los Angeles Daily News.
Howard re-injured the problematic shoulder during Wednesday night's loss to the Phoenix Suns. Although many players and critics say that Howard can continue to play as along as the pain isn't overbearing, growing concern around the severity of labrum injuries hints that they can be bothersome for very long periods of time if not treated properly.
A long-term injury is the last thing that Howard and the Lakers need. It's known that Howard's relationship with head coach Mike D'Antoni is rocky at best, and whether he's playing through pain or sitting on the bench, Howard's mood is bound to sour.
Trade talk surrounding Howard has been brought up, especially with his iffy relationships with Lakers' key personalities, Kobe Bryant included. "The on-court evidence and Bryant's public statements indicate the two still haven't reached an understanding about their respective roles on offense," said Ben Golliver from Sports Illustrated.
There have been no public statements concerning the trade, although Lakers management does have some doubts about how well he fits in with the team. If Howard is to be thrown into a trade, the outcome will greatly depend on his recovery and willingness to accept the role he's put in. With the expense and difficulty of a trade, it seems most fitting that Howard stays in Los Angeles, as long as things can blow over with his coach and teammates.
As for now, trade rumors will lay dormant as Howard's shoulder injury heals. What's more important is his recovery and how his potentially limited play will affect the sliding Lakers.