NBA Trade Rumors: Ranking Every Possible Dwight Howard Destination

The Super Bowl is the hottest trending topic in sports right now, but Dwight Howard and his potential landing spot are a close second.

Since the end of last season, Howard's future has been scrutinized to no end. It's not every year that the most dominant big man in the game could hit the open market, but the media attention his current situation is commanding makes the Carmelo Anthony drama of last season look like a cakewalk.

While the Howard saga is far from over, there is already a long list of teams hot on his trail, and as the March 15 trade deadline nears, this field is only going to thicken.

No. 10: Boston Celtics

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that the Boston Celtics were expected to be among the list of aggressive suitors for Dwight Howard. That being said, it's highly improbable Howard winds up in Boston.

The Celtics will have some cap room to play with next summer, but in terms of trade assets, they can't offer much. Rajon Rondo has already proven not to be untouchable, but without him, there is no incentive for Howard to remain in Boston long-term.

Outside of Rondo, the Celtics have only Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Brandon Bass and Kevin Garnett who are of value. Considering three of those players are past their prime, it seems far-fetched to think that a deal between the Orlando Magic and Celtics could ever be agreed upon.

No. 9: Atlanta Hawks

According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Atlanta Hawks got involved in the Dwight Howard sweepstakes just after the start of the season, offering a package headlined by Joe Johnson and Josh Smith.

While Johnson's lucrative contract speaks negatively for itself, Smith is a great player, but one whom Howard would prefer to play alongside, not be dealt for. Additionally, the Magic would certainly insist on Al Horford being included in such a deal, yet he's sidelined for the foreseeable future, rendering him less than appealing.

Orlando wants the right combination of veterans to help them stay competitive in the post-Howard era, and the Hawks, with an overpriced Johnson and injured Horford, don't have the ability to offer one. 

No. 8: Chicago Bulls

Back in December, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reported that the Chicago Bulls were interested in trading for Dwight Howard, but later on, when Howard's list of preferred destinations was made public, Derrick Rose and company were nowhere to be found.

While the Bulls have the ability to assemble a competitive package for the All-Star center, it would be unwise for the team to relinquish any real assets without a guarantee Howard re-signs with them.

Perhaps Chicago could convince Howard to stay long-term once he gets there, but given who the Bulls would be forced to give up, it's a risk not worth taking.

Additionally, once again sitting atop the Eastern Conference, Chicago should be in no rush to blow up its roster. Despite a growing list of injuries, the team continues to prevail and is one of the few who could pass on acquiring Howard without being hammered for it.

Don't expect to see Rose throwing up alley-oop passes to Howard outside of the All-Star game anytime soon.

No. 7: Los Angeles Clippers

According to ESPN.com, Dwight Howard apparently added the Los Angeles Clippers to his wish list of potential destinations, something that the star center went on to deny.

For Howard's sake, hopefully he never had any real interest in the Clippers, because the chances of him winding up there are less than dwindling.

Despite the sentiments put forth by ESPN"s Chris Broussard that state Los Angeles should be willing trade both DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin in exchange for Howard, such a deal is unlikely to happen. Could Griffin be worth the price of Howard? Definitely, but he means so much to the organization that it would be difficult to imagine the Clippers dealing him.

Los Angeles has a good thing going with Griffin and Chris Paul, and while the duo is in the early stages of building chemistry, we have seen enough to know how great they can be together. It would be unwise to break that up.

Outside of offering Griffin or Paul, no one else on the roster allows the Clippers to put together a reasonable package to send over to Orlando. 

If Howard moves on to Los Angeles, it will not be as a member of the Clippers.

No. 6: Orlando Magic

An auspicious beginning to the season has increased the Magic's chances of convincing Howard to re-up with the team, yet Orlando is far from out of the woods.

Despite the Magic's early success, their glaring need to dramatically improve the roster has surfaced more than once. Jameer Nelson and Jason Richardson are severely underperforming, and the team's most reliable role player is the unproven Ryan Anderson.

Making any major additions to the roster will prove extremely difficult for Otis Smith and company. Orlando is host to a plethora of bad contracts and are thin on assets. In other words, what the Magic have now, is what they will have for the foreseeable future.

Orlando's top priority is keeping Howard, and there is a possibility that the team retains him past the trade deadline, but if the Magic fail to land an impact player, they will be forced to seriously entertain trade offers rather than lose him for nothing via free agency.

No. 5: Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks are amongst the three teams that Dwight Howard and his agent are allowed to speak with regarding a potential trade, though the chances of any deal being struck are less than slim.

If the Mavericks do some non-Howard related dealing before this summer, they will have enough cap room to make a play for both he and Deron Williams. However, bringing Howard in via trade this season just isn't feasible.

Dallas is slim on assets. Trading Nowitzki is not an option because he is part of the allure that the Mavericks have, and aside from him, there aren't any players on their roster the Orlando Magic would jump at the chance of getting.

If the center hits the open market this summer, the Mavericks have a legitimate chance at obtaining him. Outside of that scenario, though, Dallas cannot be considered a front-runner in the current Howard sweepstakes. 

No. 4: New York Knicks

As reported by Stephen A. Smith of ESPN, the Magic inquired about the possibility of trading Dwight Howard to the New York Knicks for Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler.

Other pieces would have to grease hands to get the ball rolling on this deal, in addition to waiting until March 1 when Chandler can be traded, and it's one that has no serious legs right now.

Taking on Stoudemire's uninsured contract would be a major risk for Orlando, and the Knicks would be taking a major risk themselves by decimating the roster for one star yet again. 

Any mentions of a Howard to New York deal must be taken with a grain of salt, as it is unlikely this scenario gains serious momentum unless other options have been exhausted.

No. 3: Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have almost no chance of convincing Dwight Howard to join their cause long-term, but their willingness to deal either Stephen Curry or Monta Ellis for an essential rental cannot be discounted.  

Unless the Magic are partial to Andris Biedrins or David Lee, the Warriors are limited in what they can give back in terms of size. That being said, Ellis or Curry provides Orlando with a star player worthy of building its team around, which it is desperately interested in.

Don't rule out the Warriors getting a third team involved either, as this could allow them to get the Magic the size they crave in exchange for Howard. Golden State also provides Orlando with the opportunity to ship Howard off to one of the teams not specified on his wish list—a reality an organization losing their cornerstone could relish in.

As far as a long-term commitment goes, it's unlikely the Warriors become a front-runner in that department. A deadline rental, though, isn't out of the question.

No. 2: Los Angeles Lakers

Heading into the season, the Los Angeles Lakers were widely viewed as favorites to land Dwight Howard.

Considering the Lakers are on the center's list of preferred destinations and have arguably the best big man not named Howard in Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles remains one of the more likely landing spots.

Bynum has played the best basketball of his career thus far, but prior to his emergence, the Lakers were reportedly unwilling to deal both he and Pau Gasol. If Los Angeles was unwilling to part with both big men then, Orlando would be hard pressed to convince the Lakers to do so now, as Bynum's stock has only climbed.

Despite trade talks having lost momentum between the two sides, there is a strong chance they pick up as the trade deadline approaches.

There are a number of obstacles to overcome before a deal can be put in place, but Bynum's presence is key, and as long as Los Angeles is willing to part with him, the Lakers are a favorite to land Howard. 

No. 1: New Jersey Nets

Despite an injured Brook Lopez, it would be foolish to count the New Jersey Nets out of the Dwight Howard sweepstakes.

Howard specifically asked the Magic for a trade to New Jersey back in December, and according to Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD, the Brooklyn-bound Nets appear to still be the center's top choice.

While Lopez is sidelined until at least February, he provides Orlando with a competent big man to anchor in the low post. He is a strong scorer and would thrive defensively under the tutelage of Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing.

Outside of Lopez, the Nets have a surplus of young prospects to ship to Orlando. With the Magic looking for proven veterans, though, it could take a third team to push a deal through, a scenario New Jersey has already explored and is willing to execute.

As with any of Howard's potential destinations, there are a number of obstacles that still must be worked through, but at the end of the day, the Nets remain the top candidates to land the superstar center.

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