Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Why Brook Lopez's Injury Will Keep D12 in Orlando

The trade list that Dwight Howard had given originally consisted of three teams: the Dallas Mavericks, the New Jersey Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Almost immediately the first team fell by the wayside as the Dallas Mavericks, who had hopes of obtaining Howard and Deron Williams both through free agency during the next offseason, had little to offer back in the from of a trade. 

They have done a great of freeing up cap space—they are obligated to only $41 million next year, and they can use their amnesty clause on Brandon Haywood to free up another $8 million. They are certainly poised to make a run in the offseason, but not for a trade now. 

And there were two. 

Then Kobe Bryant and Howard allegedly had a "talk" in which Kobe let Howard know how much he would like for Howard to come and play with the Lakers as a second or third option. Howard, not having any aspirations to be a Robin, or even an "Alfred," took the Lakers off his list. 

And then there was one. 

Brook Lopez is a promising young center compared to the typical young center in the NBA. He could be one of the top half-dozen centers in the NBA when he hits his peak. Other pieces would fit in alongside him. The Magic would potentially get back other quality role players in the potential deals. 

One deal this summer had them getting back Gerald Wallace, but that was killed by Portland. 

Now it looks like it is unlikely that a Lopez trade is going to work out at all, as shortly after seeing the Nets center return after a broken foot, he turned his ankle and is now out for another three weeks. 

Maybe some teams would be willing to take the gamble on a player who was just having what really is a minor injury, but a team that has seen a player like Grant Hill lose what could have been a Hall of Fame career to a series of knee and ankle injuries probably isn't up for taking a gamble. 

And then there was none. 

So now, with no team that Howard is willing to extend with able to give up a package that Orlando is willing to take for Howard, and Howard not willing to extend anywhere else, it boils down to "rent-a-center" options. However, how much is someone going to send Orlando for half a season of Howard?

Likely, not nearly as much as Brook Lopez and others. 

So what all this points to is Howard sticking around in Orlando to the end of the season. Don't look for Howard to be traded. There's just not a realistic scenario.