10 Predictions for the NBA's Top Second-Half Storylines

There have been several good storylines over the first half of this NBA season and there are more exciting ones to come.

In the second half of the season, big things will continue to happen, including teams battling for precious wins, players changing teams at the trade deadline and how teams will fare in the NBA playoffs.

Of all the upcoming storylines that remain for this season, none is bigger or will be more talked about than where Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard will finish the season and whether or not he will sign a long-term deal with a team that trades for him.

Here are 10 predictions of storylines that we will be talking about after the All-Star break and into the summer.  

Dwight Howard Finds a Home

Dwight Howard will find a home by the March 15th NBA trade deadline, and it won't be in Orlando.

The Orlando Magic will do all that they can to avoid having Howard leave the team without getting anything in return and will be forced to make a trade. 

Possible landing spots for Howard include the New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks. 

As the trade deadline approaches, Orlando is going to field many offers of teams looking to acquire the Magic center. 

The tricky thing about a trade is that teams must make sure that Howard will sign a long-term deal with that team in free agency. 

It is possible that he will be traded to one team and then leave them as a free agent to play with another. 

Whether he finds a permanent home at the trade deadline or in the summer, Howard will be wearing a different jersey next season. 

Linsanity Cools Off

The best NBA story so far this season and in the last several years has been the inspired play and rise to stardom of Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks.

Lin's success has brought popularity not only to him and his team, but to the entire NBA. 

Following the lockout, the NBA needed a good story to share with the world and Lin provided that.

Lin had already been cut by one team and on the verge of another dismissal before he started putting up All-Star numbers and helped to revitalize a struggling Knicks team. 

It has been great to watch Jeremy Lin throw in wild shots, toss up perfect alley-oops and make game-winning baskets. 

Lin will continue to be the starting point guard on this team, but the addition of other players back into the Knicks lineup will take away from what Lin can do and will decrease his effectiveness. 

Not to take anything away from the amazing things that Lin has accomplished this season, but Linsanity is going to cool off over the second half of the season. We will once again see the struggles and weaknesses that this Knicks team really has. 

Two Legends Will Retire

Two of the best players to ever play in the NBA are going to retire at the end of the season. 

Both Jason Kidd and Tim Duncan are in the final years of their contracts and will call it a career instead of coming back for considerably less money. 

Kidd ranks second in league history in assists and steals, and third in three-point shots made. He has played for several teams over his more than 17-year career.

He is a 10-time All-Star and finally won an NBA Championship last season with the Dallas Mavericks.

Tim Duncan is regarded as one of the best power forwards to ever play in the NBA. 

He is a 13-time All-Star, a four-time NBA Champion and a two-time league MVP.

Both players will be missed and it will be hard to see them go.

Amnesty Cuts

The first round of amnesty cuts just before this season left some good veteran players looking for new jobs. 

Several teams have already taken advantage of this rule to take steps towards lowering their overall salary numbers. 

As the time when teams will have to pay a higher tax for every dollar they are over the salary cap approaches, teams will look to cut payroll and will use the amnesty clause to dump underperforming players. 

While this will not happen until the offseason, following are some players who might fall victim to this rule.

Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls: Boozer makes more than anyone on his team and his salary is set to increase. His lack of defense is a weakness for the Bulls. 

Ben Gordon, Detroit Pistons: Like Boozer, his production does not match the high salary he is set to make over the next several seasons. 

Rashard Lewis, Washington Wizards: The Wizards should have used this clause on him at the beginning of this season. The team will have to dump his salary and go after a veteran free agent that can help the team win.

Zach Randolph Will Spark Memphis

Zach Randolph has been injured for most of this season but is expected to return after the All-Star break. 

His team, the Memphis Grizzlies, have struggled at times without Randolph but have been able to stay in the Western Conference playoff picture. 

Randolph's return will be the spark that the Grizzlies need to be more competitive and win more games in the second half of the season. 

Memphis will build on the playoff run they had last season and will get a better starting position this year. 

With Randolph back and ready to go, they will be a very dangerous team that no one will want to meet in the postseason. 

Charlotte Bobcats Earn the Top Pick of the Draft

In their short history, the Charlotte Bobcats have had the second and third overall draft picks, but never the first. 

This is the year that they will finally select from the top spot.

The Bobcats currently have four total wins and are on track to have 10 or fewer for the season.

While anything can happen in the NBA Draft Lottery, the Bobcats will prevail and will earn the top pick through their bad play and a little bit of luck.  

Fortunately for Charlotte, this year's draft is stronger than last and the team will get a quality young player to match with Kemba Walker. 

Deron Williams Walks Away

Whether it is by a trade or by free agency, if the New Jersey Nets are unable to acquire Dwight Howard, Deron Williams will not be with the team next season. 

The Nets did not get what they wanted last season when Carmelo Anthony went to the Knicks, and this year will not bring more luck. 

Not only will they not be able to land Dwight Howard, but Williams leaving will make matters worse.

Williams will end up returning home to play for the Dallas Mavericks, who will sign the Nets point guard in hopes of creating a big three of their own with Williams, Dwight Howard and Dirk Nowitzki.

Coaches Will Be Fired

Whether they know it or not at this point, there are several NBA head coaches who are in their final seasons with their teams.

Paul Silas will not return as the head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats. Last season he won only 25 games. So far this year he has won four. 

Mike D'Antoni has been coaching in the final year of his contract all season. If the New York Knicks really wanted to keep him around, they would have offered him a contract by now. Although it will help, Jeremy Lin is not enough for D'Antoni to keep his head coaching job with the team. 

Keith Smart of the Sacramento Kings has not led the team to much more success than Paul Westphal did at the beginning of the season and will not get a second season to coach in Sacramento.

Randy Wittman was thrown into the coaching mix when Flip Saunders was fired, and he will not be asked to return to the Washington Wizards. 

Alvin Gentry is in the middle of his second straight losing season and the Phoenix Suns are struggling. In an effort to improve the team, the Suns will look a different direction and Gentry will be looking for work. 

Overseas Players Will Return to the NBA

Due to players signing contracts overseas during the NBA lockout, there will be more players than normal to join teams late in the season as these players return. 

We have already seen J.R. Smith sign with the New York Knicks and Kenyon Martin join the Los Angeles Clippers. 

A third former Nugget, Wilson Chandler has reportedly been talking with the Toronto Raptors and exploring options of signing with the Canadian team.

Other players that can return and provide depth for NBA teams include Aaron Brooks, Josh Powell and Dan Gadzuric. 

LeBron James Will Redeem Himself

After all of the criticism that LeBron James endured following an underwhelming performance in the NBA Finals last season, he will redeem himself this season by winning his first NBA Championship. 

James is currently enjoying the best season of his career and the Heat are closer to the expectations they had when James joined the team. 

If the Heat continue to play the way they have over the first part of the season, teams like the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder will be able to challenge them for the title, but will not be able to beat them.