Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Most Likely Landing Spots for Magic Center

East Coast, West Coast, downtown, Brooklyn, NorCal, SoCal—the rumors about Dwight Howard's eventual destination aren't going anywhere until the All-Star center goes with them.

When superstars want out, they get out—and they leave us to speculate exactly how they'll do it.

That's where this slideshow is headed, as we spin the NBA's big wheel and play the annual basketball game show we have no choice but to play:

"Guess Where That Disgruntled Superstar Will Land!"

And away we go...

Golden State Warriors

Golden State has the bait to hook Orlando on a blockbuster deal.

Silky smooth point guard Stephen Curry is the most attractive piece in a potential deal that would probably have to include the Warriors absorbing Hedo Turkoglu's cap-eating contract.

Those are the bones of a good deal for both sides, given Orlando's predicament. The hold-up lies with Howard, who hasn't named Golden State as a preferred destination and would need to experience a dramatic change of heart once in Northern California to sign an extension with the team.

Golden State has sent signals that they're willing to take that risk, but at this point, all talk is preliminary.

I have to see more than idle chatter before I'm ready to believe a franchise would obliterate their roster for a one-year rental.

Atlanta Hawks

Much of what was said about Golden Sate can be applied to Atlanta's lot in the Dwight Howard derby.

Atlanta has all the talent necessary to entice Orlando and already expressed an interest in acquiring Howard over the holidays.

Further legitimizing their candidacy, Atlanta has the veteran talent Orlando seems to covet. Magic GM Otis Smith wants his franchise to stay competitive in the aftermath of the Howard trade, meaning that, unlike New Orleans and Denver, he'll ask for proven players that can put butts in the seats.

Atlanta could dangle some combination of Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Al Horford—a core that's led the Hawks to the playoffs in each of the last four seasons.

As with the Warriors, though, Howard hasn't named Atlanta as a preferred destination. The Hawks would have to deal for Howard in hopes that they could convince him to stay beyond the length of his contract.

Working in the Hawks' favor, Howard is an Atlanta native, and selling him on the city would be easier from them than most other teams.

New York Knicks

The Knicks made their superstar splash last year by acquiring Carmelo Anthony and, after adding center Tyson Chandler in free agency, looked like a non-player in the Howard talks.

Enter the Knicks' underwhelming 5-4 start and, along with it, murmurs that the restless franchise could send their pied piper superstar Amare Stoudemire to the Magic for Howard.

Stoudemire is an Orlando-area native with the kind of proven production that the Magic seem to want in a trade chip.

Bad news for the Knicks is that Stoudemire's contract isn't insured, and the prospect of losing him has the Magic scared to pursue negotiations further.

Howard also hasn't explicitly identified the Knicks as a preferred team, though it might be because he figured their already-full superstar corral would nullify the team's impetus to move.

If he can be convinced to play in Brooklyn, it's fair to assume he's at least open to Manhattan ballin'.

New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets

The Nets were once the clear front-runners for Howard's "talents," but they have fallen back to the pack since the season started.

Hurting New Jersey more than anything else right now is their disappointing play. Derron Williams hasn't done much to improve the team since coming over from Utah, and I'm not sure how much longer Howard can look at the organization's current prospects and envision a championship, even if he is on the roster.

From the other end, an early injury to New Jersey center Brook Lopez compromises his position as the central piece in whatever package the Nets would send back to Orlando.

Above all this, though, is the fact that Howard has never reneged on his stand that New Jersey is one of his favored destinations. As long as that remains the case, the Nets have a chance to land him and a reason to pursue him.

Los Angeles Lakers

As the season reaches full stride, the Lakers have grown quieter on the Dwight Howard trade front, but I'll give you three reasons why you can't dismiss L.A.'s chances just yet:

1) the pressure put on them by the Clippers trade for Chris Paul; 2) Kobe Bryant's all-consuming desire to be in title contention every year; and 3) Howard's desire to play in Los Angeles.

All that has to be weighed against what the Lakers would have to send Orlando in a trade, and it would be considerable.

Orlando seems to want both Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, and as of now, it's not clear that trade makes the Lakers any better.

Outside of Howard, Bynum is making a case as the second-best center in basketball this year. Howard is an upgrade, but how big of an upgrade?

The Lakers' most glaring need remains at point guard, and though the Howard move would make waves, I don't think the L.A. front office believes it puts them past Oklahoma City in the Western Conference.

The way Andrew Bynum is developing right now, they're just as apt to sit this out and see how the current roster comes together.