NBA Trade Rumors: High Price Tag Will Keep Dwight Howard in Orlando

Dwight Howard won't be switching teams until the end of the season. The Magic are still hoping they can re-sign, and in the meantime they are waiting for a trade package they are not going to get. 

Ken Berger of CBS Sports did some digging and gave us all an idea of what Orlando is looking to land in a deal with the Magic:

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Magic executives have continued to tell teams this week they do not intend to trade Dwight Howard, but several teams came away from the conversations with a clear picture of what the club wants if it changes course: a replica of the deal Denver pulled off last February for Carmelo Anthony, multiple league sources told CBSSports.com Thursday. 

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The Nuggets, who also sent Chauncey Billups to the Knicks in the above referenced trade, received Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov, a future first-round pick and two future second-round picks. 

That was a spectacular trade for the Nuggets. Anthony was bolting in a few months, and they got the foundation of their team for years to come in return. 

Orlando is wise to want this kind of package, but they are fools if they think they are going to get it. 

First of all, they don't have a veteran player like Billups to include in the deal. Second of all, the teams Howard has said he would sign an extension with don't have these kinds of assets. 

As Berger points out, the Lakers, Mavericks and Nets are the teams that Howard has listed as preferred destinations. 

The Lakers and Mavericks aren't anywhere near having the kind of young talent required to put together a deal like the one for Carmelo.

The Nets are closer, but not close enough for the Magic. Berger added that "people familiar with the Orlando strategy told CBSSports.com Thursday that none of the three teams has assets that would entice the Magic to part with Howard."

That leaves the Magic to find a desired trade package from a team that would be making the offer with the reality that they would likely be renting Howard for just the remainder of this shortened season. 

And there is no scenario in which trading valuable young pieces for a player that will be on your roster for a few months makes sense.