El Segundo, CA

Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak says the team is putting its fate in the massive hands of center Dwight Howard.

He noted that Kobe Bryant has one more year on his deal and he has no idea if the Lakers star wants to play beyond next year.

"As of now, we're looking at a two-year window," Kupchak empahsized. "This team's window to win is this year and next year."

Howard agreed with Kupchak when the latter said "Dwight is our future", and vowed to play as hard as he can to win a title this season.

However, he was noncommittal about remaining and stuck to his refrain of focusing on the present.

"There's no need for me to make a decision right now. My goal hasn't changed. I want to win a championship and I want to win one here. I'm here right now and this is our chance to get one this season," said Howard.

Kupchak reiterated his public stance that the 27-year-old Howard, who becomes an unrestricted free agent at season's end, is off the market with the NBA trade deadline looming Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.

Even with his drop-off in stats, the Lakers are prepared to offer Howard a max five-year contract extension in the offseason and say he will return to the type of player who was the three-time defensive player of the year in Orlando.

"That type of [back] surgery takes at least a year to get back completely," Kupchak said of the procedure Howard underwent. "He's so young, he got back so quick, he's going to have a 100 percent recovery."

 

SI.com's Chris Mannix previews the second half of the 2012-13 season for the Los Angeles Lakers

Lakers Hope Dwight Howard is Center of Team's Future

 

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