Dwight Howard Saga: Breaking Down Orlando Magic Lineup If Brass Can't Deal D12

With a deal between the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets seemingly running into some roadblocks, the possibility that Dwight Howard might actually remain with his unwanted team for another year all the sudden appears to be a real possibility.

It's more likely that another scenario will come up, of course—perhaps one involving the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets, according to HOOPSWORLD's Eric Pincus: 

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HOOPSWORLD has learned that there have been preliminary discussions between the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets that would involve sending Andrew Bynum to the Rockets, Howard to the Lakers and a number of first-round picks, prospects and significant cap relief to the Magic.

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As we should know all too well by now, though, discussions don't mean much in the final analysis.

If the Magic don't make a move when all is said and done, what can we expect? Here's how the roster looks at the moment.

Dwight Howard

Age: 26

Position: C

Height: 6'11"

Weight: 265 lbs

Is there a chance the Orlando Magic will wind up with one more season of Dwight Howard and his mood swings?

Not likely, but you can never count anything out entirely in this league.

Howard remains the league's most dominant center on both ends of the floor, and the organization that lands him will almost instantly take a giant step forward as a result. Don't count on the Magic holding on to him for too much longer though. 

Besides the various deals being discussed, new general manager Rob Hennigan can't afford to lose a superstar for nothing.

Plus, one season of endless distraction was enough.

Jason Richardson

Age: 31

Position: SG

Height: 6'6"

Weight: 225 lbs

Jason Richardson is still a formidable shooter, but his once great athletic ability isn't nearly what it used to be. That's hampered his ability to slash and finish at the rim and turned him into a relatively modest threat on the wing.

In comparison to the rest of Orlando's roster, though, Richardson isn't half bad. He's also not too pricey on a per-year basis, but with two more seasons and a player-option on his deal, you can bet the front office is looking to move him when it gets the chance.

Hedo Turkoglu

Age: 33

Position: SF

Height: 6'10"

Weight: 220 lbs

Hedo Turkoglu is a prototypical point-forward, and he can shoot the ball as well, albeit not all that consistently.

The overpaid veteran has struggled to find a game after his golden years with the Sacramento Kings, and his stint with the Orlando Magic hasn't been much better. If Dwight Howard is eventually moved, don't be surprised if Turkoglu goes along with him.

He averaged 10.9 points and 4.4 assists last year, but he wasn't even close to being worth the price tag.

Jameer Nelson

Age: 30

Position: PG

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 190 lbs

Jameer Nelson announced he's agreed on a long-term deal with the Orlando Magic after opting out of the last year on his contract.

He brings the starting lineup some stability and consistency. He averaged 11.9 points and 5.7 assists last season, numbers that won't blow anyone away, but stood out as some of the better production on this roster.

Nelson won't be an All-Star, but you can rest assured he won't be a disappointment either.

Glen Davis

Age: 26

Position: PF

Height: 6'9"

Weight: 289 lbs

Glen "Big Baby" Davis might actually be better off without Dwight Howard around. He's got nothing resembling a consistent mid-range game, so almost all his damage comes in the paint.

With Howard around, there are far too many spacing issues for Davis to remain very effective. 

He's still an asset on the offensive glass, and he has moments of brilliance thanks to sheer effort alone. But, without a shooting stroke, size or a skilled post-game, Davis is left to rely on bullying guys around the rim with sheer strength alone.

J.J Redick

Age: 28

Position: SG

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 190 lbs

J.J. Redick is a solid sixth man, but his game remains pretty limited. He's a fantastic shooter from all over the floor, but he's not much for creating his own shot.

And you can forget about him taking the ball to the hoop and making anything remotely interesting happen with it.

Still, Redick is one of the few bright spots left on this roster.

He instantly gives a bench unit some life it would otherwise be desperately missing.

Chris Duhon

Age: 29

Position: PG

Height:  6'1"

Weight: 190 lbs

Chris Duhon isn't a bad on-ball defender, but that's pretty much the only thing keeping him in this league—that and the long-term contract he somehow secured after some marginally decent campaigns with the Chicago Bulls.

Duhon isn't a great shooter, and he can't do much more than spot up for his attempts. As backup point guards go, Duhon probably isn't the one you want on your team.

Quentin Richardson

Age: 32

Position: SF

Height: 6'6"

Weight: 238 lbs

Quentin Richardson does most of his damage from behind the arc, but he's a pretty inefficient scorer otherwise. As an undersized forward, he can guard some wing players and lend a hand defensively, but he can't do enough at this stage of his career to land consistent playing time.

Still, he's not a bad insurance policy if guys like Jason Richardson or Hedo Turkoglu go down.

Von Wafer

Age: 26

Position: SG

Height: 6'5"

Weight: 209 lbs

Von Wafer is a scoring specialist who fills a pretty specific role off the bench. He won't do much else for you, though.

He averaged nearly six points in just over 14 minutes a game this season and played in only 33 games. Given that he plays behind the likes of Jason Richardson and J.J. Redick, it's hard to imagine Wafer making a much more substantial impact any time soon.

Justin Harper

Age: 22

Position: PF

Height: 6'10"

Weight: 225 lbs

Justin Harper didn't have much of an opportunity to show what we can do this season, averaging just six minutes over the course of 14 games.

The former Richmond Spider is a spread-4 in theory, but it's unclear if he's really all that consistent a shooter. He showed flashes his senior year, but is anything but a proven commodity.

He's also fairly one-dimensional at this point and hasn't figured out how to play with the size he's been given.

Andrew Nicholson

Age: 22

Position: PF

Height: 6'9"

Weight: 250 lbs

The Orlando Magic took Andrew Nicholson with the 19th overall pick in June's draft, and he should be able to make somewhat of an impact right away.

He still has plenty to learn, but his four years at St. Bonaventure certainly have made him more polished than many of his peers. More importantly, he shoots especially well from the perimeter for a big man and averaged nearly 21 points per game as a junior.

Nicholson has hands that are both enormous and have a soft touch. Beyond the help that affords his scoring ability, he's also adept at blocking or otherwise bothering shots. 

Kyle O'Quinn

Age: 22

Position: F/C

Height: 6'10"

Weight: 240 lbs

The Orlando Magic looked for more size in the second round and opted to take Kyle O'Quinn, a solid prospect who may be closer to contributing thanks to his extensive experience in the collegiate ranks.

He won't wind up with the same kind of minutes as Andrew Nicholson, but he's not a bad long-term investment for Orlando on account of his strength and athleticism.

O'Quinn didn't face the most formidable competition at Norfolk State, so it may take him some time to adjust to the big leagues.