NBA Trade Rumors: Dwight Howard Making It Impossible for Fans to Stand by Him

What does the Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard really want?

Out of his mouth, he says he wants to win. Yet, from his actions and reading between the lines, it seems he seeks a measure of stardom, something Orlando can never give him.

One thing that even the staunchest critic of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony or Chris Paul can't say is that their motives were unclear.

LeBron and CP3 wanted to win, and their moves to teams with star players was the driving force in their decisions.

Melo had a dual purpose, but both were pretty clear. He wanted to play in New York, his hometown, and he wanted to win. Well, 50 percent will have to do for Melo right now.

The same cannot be said for Dwight Howard.

He has mentioned winning as a motivation, but as the Magic are off to a good start at 6-3, he still wants out.

Recently, he said this about this to Yahoo! Sports about the likelihood that the Magic would deal him:

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“I don’t think (the Magic) are going to do anything right now because we’re winning. Even if this is the last season, let’s go out hard, regardless.”

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If this was about winning, and by his own admission, the team is doing that, why is he still seeking a trade? And why does he not even list Chicago as a team he'd accept a trade to.

It's obvious, he and Derrick Rose would make the most formidable duo, as both are young superstars.

There are all types of speculation surrounding that idea. From Adidas not wanting them in the same market to Howard not wanting to play second fiddle to Rose in his city. Whatever the case, basketball and winning don't appear to be tops on his list of priorities.

Howard would be better suited admitting this is about more than just basketball. Of course he wants to win, who doesn't? But his actions say that isn't the only factor involved.

Tracy McGrady of all people, recently chimed in on the big man and his personality:

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"He wants to be Hollywood. He's just that type of dude."

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Now, McGrady's career accomplishments are flimsy compared to what many thought he could be, but he does seem to have Howard pegged correctly.

So, why doesn't he just say that?

Would the backlash that is building for him now be any worse than what he'd receive if he were to just say, "I want to win and set myself up for a life after basketball. I believe playing in a city like Los Angeles or Brooklyn provides me that opportunity, as well as a chance to win a championship."

That statement will rub many the wrong way, but he's already doing that. Wouldn't it be better to state his stance and move on?

It would be different if he was the type of player that didn't care what the fans thought about him, but that is obviously not the case.

His actions through this ordeal are alienating the group of people whose adoration he covets. Fans will digest an unpopular decision much easier if he is honest. The waffling and inconsistency is causing many to lose respect for him. 

It's time for D12 to come clean.