Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Is Latest News on D12 Bad News for New Jersey Nets?

In what could be nauseating news for New Jersey Nets fans, Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Dwight Howard could be thinking about remaining with the Orlando Magic instead of changing his address on the March 15 trade deadline.

Schmitz broke the latest on the D12 sweepstakes via Twitter.

"

A person close to Dwight Howard tells me, "We want to work it out (in Orlando)." Take it for what it's worth.

"

This could be disheartening news for New Jersey, to say the least. For the most part, the Nets were considered the favorites to land the best center in the NBA by March.

Brook Lopez spraining his ankle might have been the final straw that broke the camel's back in a potential trade. It made Lopez's future viability even less appealing after he had already missed the majority of the season with a broken foot.

The Nets' centerpiece to the deal for D12 began to look like a liability instead.

It isn't clear just how much Howard is willing to "work it out" with the Magic or if this is a move to buy more time because his preferred destination's trade package became less desirable to GM Otis Smith.

No matter what he does, Howard certainly won't be signing any extension this season and is still slated to hit free agency this summer. In that case, the Brooklyn Nets would be free to sign Howard and hold onto all their important players that would otherwise be gone had a trade taken place at the deadline.

However, that free agency only comes by way of opt-out and that doesn't rule out the possibility that Howard stays on for one more year in Orlando. That would truly be the first step to working it out with the only team he's ever played for.

Nevertheless, the tireless D12 sweepstakes could now carry on past the deadline and into free agency in July.

Until then, look for the Magic to try to make a deal at the deadline if Howard does stay on and expect the Nets to stay put and ride this thing out until the end of the year. New Jersey will certainly continue to wait on D12 and are intent on getting their shot to land the big man.

Long story short: it still isn't over yet.