Los Angeles Lakers Update: Season Schedule Released: Kobe vs. Dwight Opening Night, Gasol Returns on Christmas Day; Plus Trade Rumors

The NBA's release of the 2014-15 season schedule is just hours away, but sources have already been coming forward to share what they know about the Los Angeles Lakers key match-ups throughout the season. Kobe Bryant will be back to full health, so each of these rivalry games will be refueled to the level they once were.

Despite what Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant say publicly, there is reason to believe that the two still have a sour taste in their mouths after the debacle, which was Howard's LA career.

The Lakers and Rockets are reportedly set to face off on the opening night of the season. Kobe has been out for the previous four match-ups against Howard and the Rockets, so this time around there will be a little something extra to watch for.

The next game of interest will naturally be the LA vs. LA Halloween night showdown against the Clippers. Although the Clippers and Lakers have seemingly switched positions in recent years, the rivalry still exists and is also fun to witness. The Clippers have a long way to go if they wish to erase 30 years of losing to the Lakers. However, every comeback has to start somewhere, and the Clippers are well on their way.

Unlike the Dwight Howard situation, Pau Gasol didn't necessarily rip Laker fan's hearts out when he left. Gasol had been shopped on the open market for three straight seasons, and finally decided to leave as the Lakers failed to gain anything in return.

The Lakers and Gasol's new team, the Chicago Bulls, will face off on Christmas Day. Derrick Rose will hopefully be back in full form to give a good show to the millions of fans who will be crowded around their television sets. 

Aside from the season schedule, the Lakers are allegedly looking to pick up Michael Beasley, the former No. 2 pick of the 2008 NBA Draft. While it's safe to say that Beasley has turned out to be quite a bust, his peak career year did feature 19.2 points per game with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Last season with the Miami Heat, Beasley averaged 7.9 points per game, which isn't terrible. The problem with Beasley seems to be his attitude. LeBron James allegedly found that he was lacking focus, and coach Erik Spoelstra lost faith in him early in the year.