NBA Rumors: Acquiring Steve Nash Won't Keep Dwight Howard in Orlando Long-Term
The Orlando Magic will explore several options to keep Dwight Howard with the team long-term and will look to improve the roster in an effort to prove to their star that they can contend for a title.
Acquiring Phoenix Suns star point guard Steve Nash is not a move that will keep Howard in Orlando past this season when he can become a free-agent in the summer.
"The Magic, sources say, remain committed to playing out the season with Howard, perhaps adding a piece to push the team to elite status and hoping that all of it — plus the additional $25 million-$30 million Orlando would be able to pay him as a free agent — will be enough to persuade Howard to stay.
League sources say Orlando has not ruled out making a play for Steve Nash in the event the Suns decided to trade the point guard to a contender before the March 15 deadline. Nash, even at 37 and even on a rental basis, could push the Magic back to the NBA Finals at a time when the Celtics are faltering and the Heat are showing signs of wear and tear.
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While this is a bold and aggressive move by the Magic, this does not help the team for the future. Sure, trading for Nash would be a small upgrade over current starting point guard Jameer Nelson, but at 37 years old, Nash is not the MVP-talent he once was.
He's not a big time scorer and he plays very little defense. With many of the league's best point guards in the Eastern Conference, such as Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose and Deron Williams, Orlando cannot afford to be at a disadvantage on defense at that position.
Nash won't make the Magic a top three team in the East, and with him they are not even a lock to get out of the first round in the playoffs.
Nash won't be a major upgrade for the Magic at point guard, and even though he would be motivated to win his first championship, I don't see the need to acquire a 37-year-old point guard who is also a free-agent in the summer.
What if Nash decides that he doesn't want to be in Orlando long-term and walks at the end of the season? If Howard left too then the team would be in a huge mess that could prevent them from contending for years.
Nash is also loved in Phoenix and is so crucial to the team's success on and off the court. They have no other star and Nash is the best reason to buy tickets to see Phoenix play. Trading him would be difficult for the Suns to do because the fans would not approve unless a big star came back to the team, and Orlando cannot offer them that.
The Magic need to trade Howard before the March 15 trading deadline because the risk of losing him in the summer for nothing is far too great to ignore.
He arguably has more trade value than any player in the league, so the Magic would be able to receive a fantastic package of young talent, established players, and/or draft picks in exchange for him.
If the Magic are determined to keep Howard around for many years they must build a good roster around him that can contend for a championship long term, and trading for Steve Nash won't help them do that.
Nicholas Goss is an NBA Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
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