NBA Trade News: Magic's Dwight Howard Wants to Stay in Orlando
After requesting to be traded to either the Dallas Mavericks, the New Jersey Nets or the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this season, it appears as if Dwight Howard will remain with the Orlando Magic following the Thursday, March 15th 3PM EST NBA trade deadline.
Yesterday, the All-Star center stated that he wants to stay with the team for the rest of the season. Howard's surprising remarks came after a thrilling 104 - 98 overtime victory over the Magic's NBA Southeast rival the Miami Heat. Howard recorded 24 points and 25 rebounds, his eighth 20 - 20 performance of the season.
Speculation surrounding Howard's pending free agency started several years ago at the same time the Magic announced plans to construct the dazzling new Amway Center, a world class sports and entertainment venue, in downtown Orlando.
Magic management hoped that Howard would both mature physically and emotionally as well as officially make Orlando his permanent NBA home by signing with the team before he could formally opt out of his current contract in July 2012.
However, Howard's on-again, off-again trade requests have grown tiresome and annoying to Central Florida fans who had immediately embraced him when he was the fresh-faced teenager the franchise drafted as the league's number one pick in 2004.
Now, it looks like Howard has the Magic wedged between a rock and a roller coaster at Orlando's Universal Studios.
Trading Howard at this time will not yield the value it warrants, so Orlando brass is hoping the team can sign him to a contract extension before mid-summer, while wooing the right complementary players to surround this self-proclaimed basketball superman.
Orlando Magic fans will soon discover that Howard's idea of a future NBA home apparently doesn't include the Amway Center or their smaller market city. Plus, many NBA insiders believe that though now 26 years-old, the fickle Howard is better suited for the tepid Mickey Mouse oriented environment of the Magic Kingdom then the searing spotlight of the Big Apple, Big D or Hollywood.
Howard's physical development on the court has been overwhelmingly positive. This reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year now boasts the NBA's most chiseled physique, while emerging as the league's most dominant defensive force.
However, his lack of demonstrable leadership and poise on the court, his penchant for petty bickering with team officials off the court and his glaring liability from the free throw line during key games have all led the complaining Howard down his current "long and whining road" of basketball relationships.
Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has openly feuded with the Howard and voiced his frustration concerning his star's immaturity and lack of leadership.
Magic General Manager Otis Smith has childishly engaged in off-court tit for tat games with his franchise star.
Even NBA referees whistled the easily irritated number 12 for a league leading 18 technical fouls during the 2010-2011 season.
Now add loyal Orlando Magic fans to the list. They experienced the rocky side of what a relationship with D12 entails when Howard made repeated public confessions about how he has done all he possibly can in Orlando. Well, uh, maybe, except make free throws.
Yes, Dwight Howard may be one of the NBA's top talents and most engaging players. However, he needs to mature fast, measure his words, listen to his coach, make nice with his GM and NBA officials and, most importantly, make free throws.
Otherwise, NBA fans will continue to speculate about his pending free agency, and his road to an NBA title will be far longer and more circuitous, whether it'll be in Orlando, Dallas, Los Angeles or Brooklyn.
Straight talk. No static.
MIKE - aka Mike Raffone - thee ultimate talking head on sports!
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