Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers Unlikely to Land Superstar

Update: Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 3:10 p.m. EDT

Otis Smith, the GM of the Orlando Magic, has confirmed that Dwight Howard did not ask for a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers and did not give Dan Fegan, his agent, permission to speak with any teams besides the Nets, Mavericks and Lakers. 

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reported the news just a little while ago, and it backs up what the superstar center stated to his followers on Twitter earlier in the day.

The last time any official word of a trade request came from Howard was back in December, when Smith gave Fegan the go-ahead to work potential deals with the three clubs. 

Update: Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 11:50 a.m. EDT

Dwight Howard addressed his alleged trade request to the Los Angeles Clippers on Twitter earlier. 

A random Magic fan, known as @Danteparman, called out the big man for not trying to bring Deron Williams to Orlando and instead trying to escape Florida for greener pastures. 

Howard responded that he should not believe everything he reads, indicating that Chris Sheridan's source may have been wrong.

He also said if it's not from the "horse" (we will assume this is Dwight himself based on common phrase), it shouldn't be believed. 

Keep it tuned here for more updates regarding DH12's trade request to Lob City throughout the week.

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Dwight Howard’s Orlando Magic beat the New York Knicks yesterday, but that did not stop him from adding one more option to his short list of teams he wishes to be traded to.

According to Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops, Howard and his agent, Dan Fegan, have informed GM Otis Smith and the team’s front office that he is now interested in joining the Los Angeles Clippers.

Maybe playing in front of a rocking “big market” Madison Square Garden crowd on Martin Luther King Day enthralled him; or maybe he was bitter about being shown up by fellow big man Ryan Anderson, but a source informed Sheridan that Dwight has “been watching them a lot. He’s intrigued by the Clippers,” 

Howard had one of his poorer games on Monday, scoring just eight points and grabbing 10 rebounds on three-of-six shooting, while missing seven of his nine free throws and fouling out towards the end of the contest.

However, the team won behind 30 points from Ryan Anderson, 21 from J.J. Redick and a 17-of-35 overall performance from downtown.

The victory improved Orlando to 9-3 on the season, and they look like one of the best squads in the Eastern Conference.

Rich DeVos, their 85-year-old owner, must also be at least acutely aware that his personal window to see a championship in Orlando is running out.

Combined, these factors make it highly unlikely that the reigning three-time Defensive Player of the Year will be granted his wish of joining the Clippers this season.

As Sheridan reported, the aging owner is not going to allow his best player to leave unless he believes the team can win a championship now with the pieces they would get in return.

The Clippers do not have any viable trading chips outside of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin that would make that scenario come true. And neither of those players has any real probability of being included in the deal considering their value to the franchise. 

DeAndre Jordan, who plays Howard’s position for the Clips, would have to be the framework to which any deal is built around, and he is simply not talented enough to replace a four-time All-NBA First Teamer’s production.

Even if DeVos was willing to consent to a deal with Jordan as the key piece, the young center cannot be traded without his permission until July 1.

The idea of Dwight Howard joining the LA Clippers is simply too far fetched.

If Superman really wants to end up in Hollywood, he is going to have to wait until the offseason to try and sign there.