NBA Trade Rumors: Dealing for Veterans and Not Rebuilding Wrong Move for Magic

Dwight Howard will probably be leaving the Orlando Magic in free agency after this season, unless he gets traded by March 15.

And, according to TrueHoop, the Magic will likely be asking for established veterans in return for Howard: 

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"Sources familiar with Orlando's thinking say that a picture of what the Magic will ultimately expect in return for their anchor has indeed begun to emerge, telling ESPN.com this week that Orlando would not hold out for youth and draft picks as the league-owned New Orleans Hornets were ordered to do in the Chris Paul sweepstakes. The Magic, sources say, would instead prefer to bring back multiple established veterans who can keep the team competitive. 

Reason being: Orlando has moved into a new arena last season and has a 85-year-old owner in Rich De Vos. Sources say De Vos has little interest in starting over/rebuilding, as evidenced by the recent decisions to trade for Glen 'Big Baby' Davis and re-sign Jason Richardson even though Howard's future is so murky."

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Certainly, one can't blame an 85-year-old man for wanting the team he owns to win as soon as possible, but adding veterans is the wrong move for the Magic in the long run.

According to ESPN, the Atlanta Hawks have offered Joe Johnson and Josh Smith for Howard, but the Magic would want Al Horford as well.

That's not a terrible deal, but the Magic need to stockpile draft picks and young players.

If I was Magic GM Otis Smith, I'd trade Howard to the Nets. New Jersey is willing to put young center Brook Lopez in the trade along with multiple first-round draft picks.

That would give the Magic a young center and some draft picks to build with.

Obviously, the Magic should try everything they can to keep Howard, but if that doesn't work out, they need to trade him for some picks and young players.

Losing Howard for nothing in free agency would set this team back several years, and that's the last thing owner Rich De Vos wants.