NBA Trade Rumors: Dwight Howard Situation Is Lose-Lose Scenario for Orlando

Every offseason has a saga, and Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is the flavor of the hour in the NBA. One team is going to benefit tremendously from his talents, while Orlando's franchise takes an immediate hit.

According to ESPN's Chris Broussard and Brian Windhorst, the pieces for a deal involving the Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers seems to be coming together.

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The Brooklyn Nets' persistent efforts to recruit the Cleveland Cavaliers as a third team to help them hammer home a trade for Dwight Howard are starting to pay off, according to sources close to the process.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Nets and Magic are cautiously optimistic that the Cavaliers will help them facilitate a three-way trade that lands Howard in Brooklyn.

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Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski went into further details Monday morning about the deal between the Nets and the Magic.

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Tentacles of Nets-Magic talks covering 14 players, 3 teams w/ possible 4th locking in to take MarShon Brooks to provide pick, sources tell Y

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 9, 2012"

Fourteen players sounds like a lot. It would make you think that Orlando is going to benefit from their return package.

The plethora of picks coming back their way looks enticing as well. In the long run they very well could be, but it's going to be a long and tedious rebuilding project down in Florida.

No other "star" players are coming to Orlando. They are opting for quantity over quality. Without a "star" player, that's not how you build a competitive NBA team.

Broussard and Windhorst give details about the Magic's possible return later in their report.

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Orlando likes Lopez as a consolation prize to Bynum, and a package featuring the Brooklyn center and a slew of draft picks intrigues the Magic, according to sources.

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If Brook Lopez is the only "quality" player you're getting in return for Howard you're in trouble.

Lopez isn't a bad player. He averaged 19 points per game last season for the Nets, but he only pulled down 3.6 boards per game at 7'0'' tall. He is an above-average center in the NBA, and productive pivots don't grow on trees, but he's not even close to Howard's level.

Howard is the best player at a premium position. He impacts both ends of the floor. Lopez doesn't have that impact, and it's a risk to think any of the future draft picks will either.

Before talks with the Nets heated back up. Orlando was rumored to have one other possible trade partner. Broussard and Windhorst also spoke to that in their report Monday morning.

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Orlando likes Lakers center Andrew Bynum, but one source said Bynum has refused to assure the Magic that he will re-sign with them beyond next season. Bynum can become a free agent in the summer of 2013, so trading for him without his long-term commitment would put Orlando in the same bind it finds itself in with Howard.

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Bynum would be the best-case scenario for the Magic. He averaged 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game last season for the Lakers. He doesn't bring Howard's defense to the table, but he did block nearly two shots per game last season.

If he's healthy, he's a star. He's already the NBA's second-best center behind Howard, at 24 years old, but he still isn't worth a rental. Wojnarowski tweeted Monday morning concerning Bynum's future plans.

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Among Bynum's short list of potential free agent landing spots in 2013, Houston is prominent with Dallas and Cleveland, sources tell Y!

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 8, 2012"

You'll notice none of those cities say Orlando. The Magic should cringe at the idea of giving Howard away for one year of Bynum. Even with his presence, their supporting cast next year isn't good enough to make a quick title run.

It would be a waste, and an embarrassing deal for Magic General Manager Rob Hennigan.

The players are definitely running the show right now, and it's not working in Orlando's favor. Howard is going to leave. Even if you don't trade him, you get him for one more year. Hennigan's only great option is Bynum, but he's a one-and-done as well.

That could change, but you have to look at the current situation rather than hope for the best. Right now the chips are not in Orlando's favor. Any favorable outcome rides on draft picks.

Both possible deals come with major risk, and probable loss, for Orlando. The only "great" option is Howard wearing their jersey for the coming years, but that isn't going to happen.

Brooklyn will benefit. Los Angeles would have too, but Orlando is taking a major in the short term. If the picks don't pan out, it could go down as one of the biggest heists in NBA history.