NBA Trade Rumors: Dwight Howard Staying in Orlando No Longer Far-Fetched

After a fine start to the season, franchise records being broken and the incessant cheer of fans, the impossible doesn't seem so unlikely. Dwight Howard may end up staying with the Orlando Magic. 

There have been a myriad of rumors, and all of them have one thing in common: Dwight Howard leaving the Magic. That is until recently when ESPN's Jemele Hill put forth a rumor that only Magic fans could love. 

The columnist ponders the solution that none of us saw as possible when all this mess started, that the Magic are just as good a landing spot as any for Superman. 

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Orlando has three things going for it in its effort to manipulate Howard into staying: money, a winning record and his desire to be liked. If Howard chooses to go to another team as a free agent, it could cost him $30 million, since the collective bargaining agreement allows the Magic, as the team that drafted him, to offer him the most money.

The salary should be enough to make even Howard -- who is earning close to $18 million this season -- uncomfortable about leaving.

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There is also the thought that Howard leaving would welcome similar vitriol that followed LeBron James to Miami or Carmelo Anthony to the Big Apple. 

Howard mat be the best center in the league and the stoutest defender in the biz, but he is also a big ol' softy. Howard loves adoration and applause, and that is yet another reason for him to ditch the idea of playing for another team. 

As an ESPN report rumored last week, Dwight Howard has been linked with the Dallas Mavericks, L.A. Lakers, New Jersey Nets and L.A. Clippers. 

It's time to add one more team to his list, and that is the Orlando Magic. 

The Nets are horrible and may in fact lose Deron Williams. The Clippers are increasingly likely to keep their current core together for the next few years. 

That leaves the Lakers and Mavericks as possible destinations. L.A. is no more willing to part with both of their big men as the Magic are in taking them. 

If Howard is going to play for Dallas, he might as well stay in Orlando for more money. The rumors were nice and all, but the Magic have the upper hand and it's time we accept that. 

Superman is big, fast and powerful. One thing we never considered is that he is also loyal. 

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