Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Monta Ellis Will Make Solid Sidekick for Magic Star

The Orlando Magic are desperate to make Dwight Howard happy in the next two weeks.

Adding a dynamic, alpha-dog scorer like Monta Ellis is the perfect way to do this and according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard, that’s exactly what Magic GM Otis Smith is trying to do.

Remember, this is the franchise that drafted the 6’11" 265-pound behemoth out of high school in 2004 with the No. 1 overall pick. Players like Dwight don’t come around often and it’s imperative a team locks them up long-term when they finally get one; even if it means bringing in a risky, undersized 2-guard that cannot play defense.

Ellis actually makes perfect sense for this team because his deficiencies are Dwight’s strengths, and vice versa.

He’s unafraid to fire away, is a nightly threat from the perimeter and can be a consistent, volume scorer for a team that sometimes lacks focus.

Monta can also handle the rock. He’s an adequate passer averaging 5.8 assists so far this season.

The biggest knock on his game is that he plays matador defense, which is fine in Orlando because anyone going into the paint will be forced to deal with someone they do not want to see.

That’s right, the reigning three-time Defensive Player of the Year, none other than DH12.

It’s no secret that Dwight loves playing defense and excels at it.

He’s been deferring more this year and Ryan Anderson, Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, J.J. Reddick and the rest of the supporting cast have benefited from it.

However, none of these guys have the talent to be the true sidekick that Howard needs to win a championship.

Monta changes everything and instantly legitimizes a team that is already a top contender in the Eastern Conference.

It’s clear he’s a major talent already in Golden State, but a change of scenery and an elite big man to partner with is what will make him a superstar.

He might even convince Dwight to stick around in Orlando a few more years.