Kobe Bryant will not call Dwight Howard to invite him to the Lakers, but sources say that he would welcome him as a teammate.

When Bryant and Howard spoke several months ago, the two disagreed on the newcomer's offensive role and sources say the call ended uneasily and they haven't been in meaningful conversation since.

Howard has long coveted playing with a point guard of Steve Nash's abilities.

"I think with Nash in the house now, they wouldn’t need an assurance up front," one league executive tied closely to the Howard trade talks told Yahoo! Sports. "They know that Dwight can be impressionable and craves Hollywood. I think they would take that chance."