NBA Trade Talk: Players the Magic Can Get to Ensure That Dwight Howard Stays

ESPN's Marc Stein and Chris Broussard are both reporting that the Orlando Magic are planning on spending the next 48 hours trying to make one last push to acquire the kind of talent that will result in Dwight Howard staying in Orlando at the end of the 2011-12 NBA season.

It's good to see that the Magic are finally focusing on the smart move to make in the Dwight Howard saga, as no possible trade involving Howard would yield the kind of talent they need in return for the franchise center.

By focusing on bringing in elite talent to help Dwight Howard down the stretch of the regular season and into the 2012 NBA playoffs, Orlando is also focusing on the future of their franchise, if for some reason, Howard still decides to leave Orlando during the free agency of 2012.

With all that being said, none of the talk above means anything if the Magic aren't able to acquire the right kind of player to fit alongside Dwight Howard in the Magic's offense.

So who is that player that is going to do the impossible and lure Dwight Howard into remaining in Orlando well past the end of the 2011-12 NBA season?

The first player that has the potential to keep Howard in Orlando, by helping the Magic make a deep run in the 2012 NBA playoffs is none other than Golden State Warriors' shooting guard, Monta Ellis.

Golden State Warriors' SG Monta Ellis

 Aside from Ryan Anderson, who is surprisingly averaging 16 points per game this season, the Magic's next best scoring option is Jason Richardson, who averages only 12.2 points per game.

While that production from the Magic's top two scoring options aside from Howard isn't terrible, it certainly doesn't take the pressure off Howard to carry Orlando.

That's where Monta Ellis comes in.  Monta Ellis, with his current averages of 21.9 points and six assists per game, is the kind of offensive threat that the Magic have lacked over the past few seasons, and he's also the kind of explosive offensive player that could lure Howard into staying in Orlando.  

Having a pure scorer like Monta Ellis on the court with Howard would force opposing defenses to shift their focus from solely being on Howard, which would make producing on the offensive side of the ball that much easier for D12.

Taking the burden off Dwight Howard, especially on the offensive side of the ball, is something that would make staying in Orland that much more enticing.

Adding Ellis would also give the Magic a solid foundational talent moving forward, if Howard feels that Orlando isn't the place he wants to be.

Atlanta Hawks' PF Josh Smith

It's no secret that Josh Smith wants out of Atlanta, and while his reasons for wanting to leave the Hawks are still shrouded in mystery, there's no doubt that there are quite a few reasons why Smith would be an absolutely amazing acquisition for the Orlando Magic.

Trading for Smith is a realistic possibility for Orlando, as they can unload Hedo Turkoglu and his massive contract in the trade, freeing up enough cap space to make room for Josh Smith's eight-figure contract.

There's no doubt that Josh Smith has been on fire this season, averaging 17.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and two blocks per game, which just so happen to be the best yearly averages of his career.

The reason why Smith is so dominant this year is because he's finally maturing as a player and becoming more of a complete talent, which makes him one of the most dangerous players on this year's trade block.

If the Magic could land Smith, they would create one of the most athletic and versatile frontcourts in the NBA, which would undoubtedly be an enticing prospect for Dwight Howard moving forward with the Orlando Magic.

Milwaukee Bucks PG Brandon Jennings

According to Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated, the Bucks' front office have made it known to teams around the league, that they are willing to move Brandon Jennings before the Mar. 15th trade deadline, as long as it's for the "right price."

While no one outside of the Bucks' front office knows what that "right price" for Brandon Jennings might be, there's a realistic possibility that the price tag on Jennings is lower than the price tag on both Monta Ellis and Josh Smith, which makes Jennings a more feasible option for the Magic.

The Magic are weak at the point guard position, with Jameer Nelson leading the way with only 9.4 points and 5.5 assists per game.

If the Magic could reel in Jennings and his averages of 18.7 points, 5.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game, Orlando could get a major upgrade the point guard position, which would be a major bump on both efficiency and production moving forward into the final stretch of the regular season.

Jennings is the kind of player that wouldn't steal the spotlight from Dwight Howard, while still managing to bring him the offensive option that he's been lacking over the past few years in Orlando.

With Jennings and Howard, the Magic could build a bright future around that dynamic duo, and be quite a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference in the years to come.

So there you have it.

The three players on the trade block that give the Orlando Magic the best chance of keeping Dwight Howard on their roster moving forwarding.

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