NBA Trade Rumors: NY Knicks Must Ignore Dwight Howard Trade Chatter

The New York Knicks have meandered their way into Dwight Howard trade rumors, once again showing the franchise's knack for focusing on any player who isn't their own.

While the prospect of adding the league's most dominant big man is intriguing, it's an avenue the Knicks cannot afford to explore, not right now anyway.

Is there any validity to the report made by ESPN's Stephen A. Smith that states the Orlando Magic have inquired about a potential Tyson Chandler and Amar'e Stoudemire for Howard swap? Of course there is. Contrary to what his roster additions imply, Orlando GM Otis Smith isn't stupid, and he is going to be gauging what every team is willing to give up for Howard, not just New York.

But that's not the point. Nor is the fact that additional contracts would need to grease hands, and a third or fourth team would need to get involved to make this deal work financially. The point is that New York needs to forget about this rumor entirely, and focus on what they have for a change.

The notions that Amar'e Stoudemire's career is essentially over are ridiculous. The Knicks are without a true point guard, and have been forced to put the direction of the offense in Carmelo Anthony's hands. While Anthony is an adept passer, his first instinct is to shoot, so of course he is taking more shots when he spends more time on the ball. And as a result, Stoudemire and the rest of New York's offensive attack can't establish any flow.

That's where Baron Davis comes in. His return is imminent and the potential impact he has is not being overstated. He knows how to balance ball-distribution and that's the Knicks' greatest fault at this point. Expecting Davis to step on the court and do what come naturally isn't wishful thinking, it's sheer logic.

New York can't simply blow up its roster every time the going gets tough. And right now, a roster shake-up in the in the form of Howard is implausible because Chandler can't even be traded yet.

Forget about a potential Howard and Anthony pairing. Forget about luring Deron Williams to New York over the offseason. And forget about dealing the one player who exhibited a willingness to revive a dead franchise when no one else would.

Howard isn't a legitimate option until March 1, if at all. So, for now at least, the Knicks need to focus on who's actually donning orange and blue. They need to get Anthony to facilitate ball movement. They need to get Stoudemire and Landry Fields more touches. They need to ease Davis into the rotation. They need to improve their three-point shooting.

What New York doesn't need is to develop tunnel vision toward a scenario that won't realistically gain momentum for another month and would result in a whole other docket of cohesion conflicts. How can the Knicks and their fans expect Mike D'Antoni to prove anything when he doesn't have a definitive roster?

This team needs to attempt to resolve its issues internally. Progress will not be achieved by indulging in whimsical trade rumors.

The days of searching for perspective while resting title hopes on the shoulders of a player who doesn't even play in New York are over.   

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