NBA Trade Rumors: Magic Would Be Crazy to Consider Dwight Howard Trade to Knicks

The latest twist in the Dwight Howard saga needs to be ignored by the Orlando Magic.

ESPN radio host Stephen A. Smith reported on his show that the Orlando Magic have inquired about sending Howard to the Knicks in exchange for Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler.

If you’re the Knicks you do this trade in a second.

Amar'e has taken a significant step back this season as he has lost his alpha dog status to Carmelo Anthony. His confidence is shook and he has turned into a glorified jump shooter of late. The intensity and anger he brought to the floor last year has vanished.

Chandler is a great defender, but is not on the same level as Howard. Plus he is an offensive liability that can clog the lane.

Howard is currently on pace to best his career averages in points (20.2), rebounds (16.1) and blocks (2.3). Despite getting drafted in 2004, the 6’11’ center is only 26. The two-time defending Defensive Player of the Year is on another level. There isn’t a better big man in the NBA.

He doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses like Chandler and doesn’t have bad knees like Stoudemire. Aside from the way he’s acted about the trade, there really is nothing to knock on Howard.

Besides the absurdity on the floor, the financial implications are going to make this trade incredibly hard to pull off as well.

The first snag in this potential deal is that Chandler can’t be traded until three months after signing a new contract. That means a deal couldn’t come to fruition until March 10th, which is five days before the March 15th trade deadline.

Problem No. 2 is the salary situation. Stoudemire makes $18.2 million and Chandler earns $13.1 million while Howard is owed $18.1 million. The Magic would likely have to dump Hedo Turkoglu’s $11 million salary, something the Knicks really don’t want.

Both sides need to publicly nix this rumor now to avoid the chemistry disruptions that would be sure to follow.

It’s a pipe dream for New York that would be an awful deal for the Magic.