Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: 4 Reasons He Isn't Going Anywhere

All-star center Dwight Howard has been in the midst of trade speculation since the Orlando Magic's season was ended by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2011 NBA playoffs.

Although Howard still has one year left on his contract before he can opt out, he has already vocalized that his thoughts of becoming a free agent will hinder his performance for the Magic in the upcoming season.

Much of the media has all but written off the Magic's chances of keeping Howard, but in my opinion, Howard will go against the media and stick it out in Orlando.

Here are the four reasons why Dwight Howard will stay in Orlando.

1. Orlando Is His Home

In the 2004 NBA draft, the Orlando Magic selected Dwight Howard with No. 1 overall pick.

And that could play a huge factor into Howard's decision on his future destination after this season.

Orlando is Howard's home. It is the only city he has played for during his NBA career. While the Magic have struggled lately, Howard's drive to bring an NBA championship to the city of Orlando weighs heavily on his mind.

When it comes time to make his decision, it could be tough for Howard to leave where he feels comfortable. This is especially true since the Magic have been so close to winning a championship over the past three years.

Howard is entering the prime of his career. With a whole city behind him, he will have to decide if he wants to continue spending his career in a city where he knows he is loved or in a different city where he'll begin a fresh start in hopes of finally winning the NBA Finals.

2. Orlando Has Trade Bait

In order to keep Dwight Howard in Orlando, the Magic will have to make a trade that will bring in some much needed help to the roster.

The Magic are likely to go after a point guard who can drive and dish to Howard more effectively than the current guards. Also, a high-caliber point guard will give the Magic leadership on the court in addition to Howard.

Players like Chris Paul and Deron Williams have been mentioned as possible targets, but it remains to be seen if the Magic can pull off a deal.

However, Orlando has several young players that could be dealt in hopes of acquiring an All-Star point guard.

Players like Ryan Anderson, J.J. Redick, Jameer Nelson and Brandon Bass all have shown the ability to be quality starters in the NBA.

Packaging some of these players along with the big contract of either Gilbert Arenas or Hedo Turkoglu could bring the Magic one step closer to bringing another All-Star to Orlando and keeping Howard.

3. Orlando Will Always Be "Dwight's Team"

For the past seven years, Dwight Howard has been the focal point of the Orlando Magic.

And for good reason. Howard has led them to two Eastern Conference championships and an NBA Finals appearance, along with numerous All-Star appearances.

Not to mention, he has made it a worthwhile destination for free agents.

It is safe to say as long as Howard remains in Orlando, the Magic will always be his team. No matter which high-caliber free agent comes to Orlando, Howard will always be the city's favorite player and the leader of this franchise.

However, if he leaves for another franchise, he'll have to deal with another superstar already being the leader of that team.

For example, if he goes to Los Angeles, the Lakers will always be Kobe Bryant's team. If anything, he will always be looked at as another Shaquille O' Neal instead of making a name for himself.

Same goes for Chicago and Oklahoma City. 

Howard will always be behind Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant on those respective teams.

We don't know if this will be an issue for Howard, but it is certainly is something to consider.

4. Moving Doesn't Necessarily Mean a Championship

Popular opinion suggests that if Dwight Howard were to leave Orlando it would be to win a championship.

But just because he switches teams doesn't guarantee him that he will win an NBA Finals.

For example, look at LeBron James and the Miami Heat this past season. While they have the talent to win the NBA Finals, they lost to a better overall team in the Dallas Mavericks.

If Howard leaves Orlando, sure he might be paired up with another All-Star, but will his supporting cast be as talented as Orlando's?

And yes, Orlando has struggled this year, but I believe they are one offensive playmaker away from being a true championship contender.

On another team, Howard might be another couple years away from a championship if the team had to trade away a great deal of their assets in order to acquire him.

So Howard needs to decide which situation will be better for him in the long run.