2012 NBA Trade Deadline: Nets Confident They Can Acquire Howard in Offseason

Throughout this entire season, speculation of where Dwight Howard will end up has involved the New Jersey Nets.

Before the season, Howard made it known that the New Jersey Nets were atop his list of preferred teams to play for. In order for that to happen the Orlando Magic could trade him to the Nets, or he could sign with them in the offseason. 

According to HOOPSWORLD .com, the Nets are refusing to include rookie MarShon Brooks or multiple first round draft picks in trade scenarios involving Howard. Apparently the best offer from the Nets involved the ending contract of Memhet Okur and Jordan Farmar and a conditional draft pick.

This deal is absolutely not enough to acquire the best center in the NBA.

So what does this low offer mean? Possibly that the Nets are confident that they do not need to acquire Howard in a trade at the deadline in order to have him on the team when they move to Brooklyn.

The Nets might feel that there is no need to gut their team if Howard is going to sign with them anyway. New Jersey is not very far out of the eighth spot of the playoffs. You have to think they could make the playoffs if they acquire Howard in a trade at the deadline.

However, the Nets are more interested in the 2012-13 season when they make the move to Brooklyn. They will wait until this offseason if they can acquire Howard then and look to the next season as the start of "a new era."

There are always going to be rumors about things in sports and many times they are just that.

If Howard truly wants to go to the Nets he should just sign with them in the offseason so that they can keep the talent on their team. He also could tell the Magic that the only team he will go to and sign long-term with is the Nets. The Magic would then have to decide whether to hold on to Howard and make a run at the Championship, or take any deal they can, just to get something in return.

The Magic have reportedly said they will try to make Howard want to stay in Orlando by bringing in players. However if they are unable to, they will listen to offers. If Howard really wants to go to the Nets, the Magic may have to negotiate a trade with the Nets and get the best possible deal from them. If not, they could lose Howard after the season and get nothing in return.

If this is truly the offer that the Nets have on the table, they must be confident that they can acquire "D-12" in the coming offseason.