NBA Trade Rumors: Dwight Howard's Motivations to Play for Nets Are Disappointing

For Dwight Howard, it isn't just about winning championships and landing in the best basketball situation possible. And even though I understand that there is life outside of basketball and he is totally justified in wanting to secure his financial future, it still disappoints me.

Why can't he have both?

But first we get the latest (well, really just a reminder of what his intentions have been all along) in the Dwight Howard saga from Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated:

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Sources with knowledge of Howard's thinking say nothing has changed about his outlook. And while his wish-list of teams still includes the Nets, Lakers and Mavs, New Jersey is far and away the leader.

Though it may pain the purists, it's not just about basketball for Howard. He wants to take his brand global, to leverage the international influence of Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov while building his brand as Brooklyn's first star. His wandering eye is enticed not only by the Barclays Center that is set to open next season, but the businesses in the booming area around it that could afford many off-court opportunities. He wants, as one source said, to "be Kobe Bryant, not be with Kobe Bryant." Of course, it's hardly that simple.

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Of course, that may not realistic—the Nets may have difficulty working out a deal to pair Howard with his close friend and the Nets' other valuable asset, Deron Williams.

Consider the following from Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel:

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Magic don't really want Brook Lopez in Dwight deal, but even decent big men are tough to find

—Brian Schmitz (@MagicInsider) February 28, 2012"

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Magic, held hostage by DHoward, needassets in deal. Brook Lopez is cheap at $3mill, too.

—Brian Schmitz (@MagicInsider) February 28, 2012"

If this were primarily about basketball, Howard would push to go to the Los Angeles Lakers or even a team like the New York Knicks, who could offer the Orlando Magic Tyson Chandler and Amar'e Stoudemire.

Either situation would likely make Howard's team either the favorite in the conference to make the NBA Finals or put them seriously in the running. He would still have a huge market as his sandbox—either Los Angeles or New York.

His insistence to head to Brooklyn means this isn't really about basketball at all. He and Deron Williams aren't nearly as formidable as he and Kobe Bryant or he, Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin. In those situations, he could have his NBA Championships and his business ventures as well.

Nobody could blame him for wanting both.

But can you blame me for being annoyed, as a sports fan, that winning a championship for Howard has clearly taken a backseat to his financial aspirations? And that in the process, he may be killing the assets Orlando can get in return for his trade?

I think my disdain is justified. As a fan of the NBA product, I want to see its participants aspire for excellence and glory and then their business ventures, not the other way around.

If Dwight Howard truly wanted to be Kobe Bryant, he would feel the same.

But he doesn't. And yes, that disappoints me.

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets are more entertaining than the Slam Dunk Contest.