Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Trade Demands Hurting the Orlando Magic and the NBA

The NBA has changed drastically since the days of Russell, Magic and Jordan.

There was once a time when players earned respect through championship rings. There was a time when you won and lost as a team and no single player was greater than the rest.

Dwight Howard has been the NBA’s premier big man for much of his seven-year career. The Orlando Magic center has averaged over 10 rebounds per game all seven years, and has been the NBA’s defensive player of the year in each of the last three seasons.

Howard’s outgoing personality and Superman persona, along with his stellar on-court play, have made the perennial All-Star into one of the league’s most recognizable figures. Ever since Howard displayed his Superman cape in the 2008 slam dunk contest, the big man has prided himself on being not only the league’s most dominant force, but also one of its biggest celebrities.

There is no doubting Howard’s ability on the court. He is a five-time All-Star and a four-time All-NBA first teamer, and he carried his team to the 2009 NBA Finals.

However, as with many of today’s players, it seems as if Howard routinely puts himself ahead of his team in pursuit of benefiting his own selfish interests.

The Orlando Magic came out of the gates flying this season. The team won 11 of its first 15 games, and only trailed the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference. Preseason rumors of trade demands by Howard had fizzled out and the team appeared to be a legitimate contender.  

Prior to the team’s matchup against the struggling Celtics, though, Howard brought his desire to be traded back to the forefront. He began mentioning other teams he wanted a trade to, and it seemed he had already given up on his current team.

The Magic have been simply horrendous ever since. They scored a franchise-worst 56 points against an undermanned Celtics squad. Three days later, Orlando managed to score just eight fourth-quarter points as the team blew a 27-point lead against those same Celtics.

The Magic have lost four of their last five overall, and many believe Howard has given up on the team. He has routinely disappeared over these recent games, and one can only speculate why.

Ever since the trade rumors resurfaced, the Magic’s play has been flat and emotionless. Knowing that their franchise player has no interest in being a part of the team has negatively affected the franchise.

Howard is a phenomenal player, but he has no right to put his desire to play elsewhere above the success of his team. Despite taking the Magic to the finals just three seasons ago, Howard seems to have no faith in himself and in his teammates to once again make a title run.

Howard is still under contract with the Magic, but instead of playing out his deal, he is putting all his effort into forcing his way out of Orlando.

Howard and many of today’s stars seem to think they are bigger than the league. They believe the league should cater to their best interests instead of the other way around.

The truth of the matter is, the NBA will still be thriving long after Howard retires, and he should be grateful for the time he has.