NBA Trade Rumors: Why Dwight Howard Staying in Orlando is Good for the NBA

When you think of March Madness the first thing that to comes to mind is the annual NCAA basketball tournament, but this year, that isn't the only madness that's going on in March.

March has been full of varying and conflicting reports coming out of Orlando regarding the future status of their star center, Dwight Howard. With the most recent report stating that D12 plans on staying with the Magic one more year, by not opting out of his contract at the end of the season.

Dwight Howard has failed on many levels when it comes to the way he handled this trade situation, which don't forget, started with Howard himself requesting a trade well before the 2011-12 season began.

While no one knows for sure what Howard's long-term intent is with the Magic, as he could still demand a trade at the end of this season or just end up leaving after next year, one thing is for sure. That for the time being, Dwight Howard being in an Orlando Magic jersey is good for the NBA.

The first reason why Dwight Howard's intent to keep his talents in Orlando, for now, is a good thing for the NBA, is because it saves the NBA and it's fans from another "big two or big three," for the time being.

Saves the NBA from the formation of another "big two ... three..."

With Dwight Howard staying put in Orlando it means that, for the time being, we have one less "big however many" in the NBA, and that's a good thing.

When LeBron James and Chris Bosh took their talents to South Beach and joined up with Dwyane Wade, we entered the newest era in basketball.  The era of free agency being a place where dynasties are formed and elite teams of NBA stars are created.

While there's only one real "big three" formed through free agency, in the Miami "Heatles," the thought alone of Dwight Howard leaving Orlando and joining up with a superstar like Deron Williams brought up the realistic possibility of free agency being a place where championships are bought.

That mentality was a big shift from where the NBA has been in the past, where the foundation has been on teams earning NBA championships through building in the draft and creating team chemistry with the talent they have.

While D12's decision to stay in Orlando might be temporary, it at least holds off the transition I talked about above from happening this season.

It helps the Magic stay competitive in the Eastern Conference

The Orlando Magic have been inconsistent this season, but the one thing they've done more than most teams in the Eastern Conference is take down the Miami Heat. Which is something the NBA needs.

The NBA needs teams to stop the Heat in the playoffs, because as an organization, the last thing they want is for a team that bought it's talent through free-agent acquisitions and the formation of a "mega-team" to start winning championships.

If the Miami Heat are successful in winning an NBA title this year, it sends the message to players and front offices that the best way to get that NBA championship ring is by luring in multiple superstars through free agency.  If that happens, the balance of power in the NBA will seriously shift and become much more lopsided than it is right now.

While there are teams like the Heat, Bulls, Thunder and Spurs that are clearly the best teams in the league, the teams behind them aren't that far away, talent wise, but that's because they have superstars of their own.

If superstars, like Dwight Howard, realize their best chance of winning a title is by teaming up through free agency with other superstars, the competition in the NBA will take a serious hit. Which is something the NBA doesn't need.

With the Magic retaining Howard, for the time being, they are able to remain competitive in the East, which helps the balance of power in the NBA stay where it's at. Which is good for the NBA as a brand and good for the NBA's fans.

While there's no telling when the Dwight Howard saga will truly come to a close, with the possibility of him leaving the Magic via a trade before next season being a realistic one, it's clear that his talents staying in Orlando is a good thing for the NBA.

The last thing the NBA needed was another superstar to "take his talents" somewhere else, even if it was via a trade instead of free agency, as it would have shifted the power in the NBA and reinforced the idea that NBA titles are won, not earned.

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