Dwight Howard: Why Magic Will Regret Not Dealing D12

So after all the talking and speculation, Dwight Howard decides that he wants to stay with the Orlando Magic. Making matters worse, the team is happy to oblige him by telling him that all he has to do is sign a piece of paper that keeps him in town for the final year of his contract.

According to Chris Broussard of ESPN, Howard gave the Magic what they wanted by signing the early termination option waiver. 

"

Dwight Howard just texted me that he has signed the waiver of his Early Termination Option

— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) March 15, 2012"

Let's just ignore for a moment the circus that this whole charade has been, with Howard standing right at the center of it. 

What are the Magic thinking with this whole thing? Unless there is something working behind the scenes, Howard has given them no assurances that he is going to be with the team beyond next season, so why do they want to keep him? Are the Magic really naive enough to believe that this is over with?

If they do, they can't see the forest for the trees. All that Howard has done is delay everything that we just saw for one year. All the rumors and trade talk is going to come back at the deadline in 2013.

The Magic are not a championship team right now. While they will make the playoffs, which is going to mean good money for Howard through his sponsorship deal with Adidas, it will all be over when they run into Miami or Chicago. 

Perhaps the front office has a plan for the offseason. However, it will be difficult since the team will have very little—if any—cap space to make a big move that will make them one of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference. 

Not only that, but this whole situation has caused a rift between ownership and the front office/coaching staff. According to Yahoo Sports, general manager Otis Smith and head coach Stan Van Gundy wanted a deal done.

That was two days ago, before Howard signed the ETO, but it is hard to imagine them not realizing what is going on. 

The Magic could have used the pieces they got for Howard in a trade—presumably with New Jersey for Brook Lopez and other players/draft picks—to build a team instead of the one-man gang they have now. 

Instead, the team remains stuck in a holding pattern all because Howard doesn't want to make anyone mad. He wants to be a beloved icon everywhere around the world, but he can't do that if Orlando knows he is getting traded because he is unhappy there. 

Howard hasn't done the Magic any favors by agreeing to stay. He is merely trying to delay the inevitable. This way, if he leaves via free agency after next season, he can spin it by saying his contract was up. He didn't opt out. He stayed and tried to win a championship for Orlando. 

The Magic were just stupid enough to bite on Howard's act because they are desperate. And desperation in sports leads to very bad decisions. 

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