NBA Rumors: Nets Fall Even Farther Behind in Dwight Howard Sweepstakes

The New Jersey Nets just took a step back in the bid to acquire Dwight Howard and it wasn’t even their own fault.

Chris Sheridan of sheridanhoops.com reported on Monday that Howard has now included the Los Angeles Clippers in his wish list of potential destinations.

The 6'11" center had previously only put the LA Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Nets on his list, but is intrigued with Lob City now that Chris Paul is in town.

According to one of Sheridan’s sources, it’s going to be all or nothing for the Nets:

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“The Nets are either going to end up with both of them or neither of them,” a third league source said, going so far as to predict that the Nets would trade Williams prior to the deadline if Howard gets dealt to a different team (Lakers, Mavericks, Clippers) that would be able to sign him for the long-term.

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With the Nets off to a 3-11 start, the playoffs seem like a reach unless they deal for Howard ASAP. It's unlikely Howard would accept a deal at the deadline to a team with a worse record than the Magic (9-3).

Sherdian goes on to report that the likelihood of Howard playing out the final year of his deal is beginning to increase. That would make the Mavericks the frontrunner to sign him with the large amount of cap space set to open up this summer. They could sign both Howard and Deron Williams to form a deadly big three alongside Dirk Nowitzki.

Even if a midseason trade were to occur, the Lakers' Andrew Bynum is currently the most valuable trade asset any team on Howard’s list could provide unless the Clippers part with Blake Griffin (yeah, right).

So, it sounds like the Nets are currently in last place in the Howard sweepstakes and there’s a good chance they’ll lose Williams as well.

How will the organization ever garner fan excitement for the move to Brooklyn with zero stars?

Ownership better figure out a plan soon or it’s going to be rough sledding for the foreseeable future.