NBA Trade Rumors: Why New Jersey Is Best Landing Spot for Dwight Howard
The trade saga of Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard has gone on long enough. As we enter March on the calendar and inch closer to the NBA trade deadline on the 15th, we also enter a time where Howard's future won't be a daily topic of conversation. Until the summer rolls around, anyway.
It's been well chronicled that the Los Angeles Lakers, New Jersey Nets and Dallas Mavericks are the three teams that Howard has publicly asked to be dealt to, but other options have also presented themselves, such as the Golden State Warriors or Chicago Bulls.
Golden State is an intriguing place for D12 to land. While they won't be able to ensure a long-term extension, they can make a push for one of the final playoff spots in the West and pair Howard with one of his long-time desired partners in Monta Ellis.
However, Golden State would have to surrender Steph Curry, David Lee, a future first-round pick and likely take back a bad contract (Hedo Turkoglu, Glen Davis). That's a steep asking price for a midseason rental, especially for a team with a first-year coach not in the middle of any kind of title race.
Elsewhere, Dallas doesn't have the trade assets or cap space to make a major play for Howard until free agency, and Chicago is nothing more than a pipe dream.
In Los Angeles, it seems a package centering around Andrew Bynum doesn't appeal to the Magic like the Lakers would hope. Also, reports of Kobe Bryant's comments to Howard about being a "third option" behind himself and Pau Gasol in LA potentially wasted the Lakers as a potential landing spot in Howard's eyes.
Why would Howard, a star in his own right, want to come to Los Angeles to be a novelty act behind Bryant and Gasol? He'd be better than Kobe in two or three seasons, and he brings higher overall value to the table than Gasol on both ends.
Whether that influences his desired destination doesn't matter. But it seems at this point in his career, Kobe would be doing everything he could to make a star like Howard feel welcome and wanted, not like another player passing through Kobe's immense shadow.
Put all that together, and it seems the best spot for his services would be in Jersey.
Brook Lopez's value couldn't be higher. The fourth-year center from Stanford is finally healthy, and three games into his season he showed why teams were so high on his trade value at the beginning of the season.
After a 38-point explosion in a 93-92 Nets road win over the Mavericks Tuesday night, Lopez put on a clinic against one of the better defensive teams in basketball. He even knocked in the game-tying and game-winning free throws with 40 seconds to play.
It's clear a healthy Lopez gives the Nets the most attractive option of picks, talent and the big market vibe Howard just doesn't get in Orlando.
Pair that with the ability to play with perennial All-Star Deron Williams and the impending move to Brooklyn, and the Nets might have the most to offer the Magic should they decide to move their second All-Star center in the past two decades.
If a trade between the Magic and Nets did happen, it would almost certainly seal the fate of keeping Williams and Howard together in Brooklyn for the next four to five seasons. Both would have the option of signing long-term contracts, and Howard would finally be in the big market he has desired for so long.
Whether Howard is playing on the West Coast, the upper Northeast or remains in Orlando, the Magic have two weeks to make a final decision on the future of their franchise player. Can they really bear to watch the Shaq situation happen twice in a lifetime?
Sometimes the business side of basketball sucks. My guess is Howard plays both sides against the middle until Otis Smith decides to deal him. New Jersey is the best fit, but at this point, Howard could end up in China and I wouldn't be surprised.
