NBA Trade Rumors: Why the Chicago Bulls Are the Best Fit for Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard, the NBA's best center, finds himself at the center of the NBA trade rumors storm. The recent news, via ESPN Chicago, is that Howard is open to going to the Bulls (alongside the Lakers, Nets, Mavericks and Clippers). There is a lot of focus on where Howard will end up but, really, who can predict that?  It's all rumors and conjecture.  

The more interesting question is: Which team is the the best fit for Dwight Howard?  The Chicago Bulls are clearly the best match for the NBA's best big man.

What makes the Chicago Bulls the best destination for Howard?  The Bulls offer the best mix of market, management, young talent and maturity to facilitate a trade and then make sure Howard enjoys success in a Bulls uniform.  Howard is 26 years old, a perennial MVP candidate and a former NBA finalist.  He wants to win and win now, in order to cement his legacy among the NBA's greats (and secure record endorsement deals) while he is still young.  

If you look at Howard's potential destinations, none of them can offer the same mix of potential present and future success as Chicago.

Let's start with Howard's longtime dream spot: the Los Angeles Lakers.  Howard, who calls himself Superman to emulate Shaquille O'Neal, would love to follow the former Orlando star to glory in Hollywood. But that scenario just is not realistic anymore.  

The Lakers have no young assets or draft picks to offer Orlando, which significantly reduces their ability to make a trade.  They have Andrew Bynum, their young All-Star center, but Bynum alone will not be enough to facilitate a deal.  Orlando GM Otis Smith knows that if he trades Howard for Bynum straight up, then his team will collapse; Bynum is just not good enough to keep that group competitive and the heavy minutes he would be forced to play would almost guarantee another knee injury.  

Sure, the Lakers could offer both Pau Gasol and Bynum for Howard but would Dwight really stay in Los Angeles to play with a 34-year-old Kobe Bryant and the decaying carcass of Ron Artest now named Metta World Peace?  It's doubtful because, even with Howard, the Lakers would never contend for a title with that roster.

What about the Dallas Mavericks?  This is the currently hot-trending Howard destination; he will sign there with fellow All-Star Deron Williams and Dallas will cut every contract off the roster except Dirk Nowitzki's to facilitate the deal.  The problem is that Dallas would also have to trade Shawn Marion, which would be nearly impossible considering his age and the size and length of that deal.  Who is going to to take on two years and $20 million for a 34-year-old Marion?  

Without renouncing Marion, Dallas can only sign one of the two superstars.  They need a top point guard to pair with Nowitzki so, in that case, Williams is far more likely to end up in Texas than Howard. Even more important, unless Dallas can sign both stars it is not a very good destination for Howard; although a front-line of Nowitzki and Howard is impressive, they are not winning a championship without an elite point guard to facilitate the offense.  

Don't forget Mr. Prokhorov's New Jersey Nets, right?  In reality, the Nets are neither a particularly compelling fit nor a good trade match. The Nets looked like good trading option in the preseason but a debilitating injury to young center Brook Lopez and terrible performances by their young players have taken that trade option off the table.  

If the Nets want Howard, they will need to convince him to sign in free agency (if he even makes it there) and manage to re-sign Williams.  It's possible, but not likely.  Plus, even if everything goes right, is a roster of Williams, Howard and young shooting guard MarShon Brooks even the title contender Howard so desperately wants to be a part of for the next six years?

So, that leaves the Chicago Bulls.  First, Chicago is a well-managed, large-market team, which is what Howard needs to thrive moving forward.  Also, the Bulls are the best (and possibly only, at this point) trade fit for Howard at the deadline.  Chicago can offer a package built around young center Joakim Noah and including power forward Taj Gibson, several future draft picks and cash.  

Noah and Bynum are in a similar class but Gibson and the picks put this deal over the top; it would allow Otis Smith to reposition the Magic to build around the defensive front-line of Gibson and Noah.

For their part, the Bulls would add Howard while keeping frontcourt depth with Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Omer Asik.  Howard would become part of the best team in the East and be the centerpiece of an All-Star lineup of Derrick Rose (the reigning MVP), Richard Hamilton (a former Pistons All-Star and excellent shooter), Deng (the NBA's best complementary star), Boozer (an All-Star power forward) and himself.

Considering the average age of all the players in that lineup, the Chicago Bulls would be the NBA title favorites for the next half-decade.  

So, the Chicago Bulls are the best fit for Howard. What other argument is there?