Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Howard and Deron Williams Combo on Nets Is Unlikely

It's been one of the most prominent rumors surrounding Dwight Howard for most of the season: Howard would love to pair with his good friend Deron Williams and headline the Nets  as they transition to Brooklyn in 2012.

The only problem is, Williams might not even be with the team for much longer.

From Peter May of ESPN:

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Most of the talk about the Nets' future has centered on their desire to get Dwight Howard, who would team with Williams as a formidable 1-2 punch as the franchise moves to Brooklyn. There has been less said about the future of the player the Nets already have.

One person in the Nets organization who is not directly connected to negotiations with Williams offered his opinion on the star's intentions, saying he doesn't think there's any chance the guard stays with New Jersey. He also thought the team would be wise to come to grips with that and trade him before the March 15 deadline.

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The story changes if the Nets swing a deal for Howard before the trade deadline, of course, though whether or not Orlando will actually trade him is anything but certain.

And ESPN's Chad Ford, for one, believes the two desire to wind up in Dallas and not Brooklyn this offseason.

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I think Williams will join Dwight Howard (assuming he's not traded to the Lakers in March) in Dallas next summer. Lots of signals pointing to this being the preferred outcome for both players.

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It's easy to see why.

Mark Cuban seems like a fun owner to play for (and certainly would appeal to the business-minded Howard), the team already has Dirk Nowitzki and Williams is from the Dallas area. Plus, the Mavericks have a winning pedigree, something the Nets can't exactly offer.

And while Howard would never come out and admit it, he might be interested in heading West and not having to deal with Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls or the Miami Heat to even reach the NBA Finals each year.

I may be totally off-base on that one, but then again, he has basically tried to dictate to the Orlando Magic that they move him so he can leave the team and potentially join forces with friend Williams, so it's not totally out of the question.

For those of you eagerly anticipating a Howard and Williams dynamic duo in New Jersey, I wouldn't hold your breath—it's beginning to look very unlikely that scenario will play out.

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