5 Careers Dwight Howard Could Ruin If He's Traded to Lakers or Rockets

According to a report by ESPN's Marc Stein and Chad Ford, it's becoming clear that there are two teams most likely to pry Dwight Howard away from the Orlando Magic: the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets.

Though the six-time All-Star center would be a good fit for either team, him playing for them could carry some long-term ramifications for anyone involved in a trade, both players and coaches, and maybe even executives.  In one fell swoop, careers could potentially be ruined.

That being said, with so much on the line in acquiring Howard to begin with, both the Lakers and Rockets should shy away from trading away so many assets for him.  As good as he is, he's become an enormous headache in the past few months and should he be dealt, the players exchanged for him could find themselves in the wrong place as their once-promising careers now turn into merely average ones.

Here are some key people whose careers could be ruined by Howard, both in Houston and Los Angeles.

No. 5: Steve Nash

Before I go any further with this one, let me just say this: Steve Nash is a Hall of Fame point guard and is probably the best player, both now and in NBA history, to not have a championship ring.  He is a great and accurate scorer, but is also a phenomenal distributor and is the epitome of a player that makes his team better.

Yet should Howard come to the Lakers, I can't help but think that he would make the last three years of Nash's career a nightmare.  The man's ego is so large that it makes LeBron James' look like an after-dinner mint and since he'd have to share the ball with Kobe Bryant, Nash and others, he would just become a moody clubhouse cancer since he wants to be the go-to guy.

That said, since Nash's first priority is clearly to win and end his career with a ring, having an unhappy Howard in Los Angeles with him (assuming Howard also signs an extension) won't help him meet that goal.  If anything, it could put a black spot on his career and leave fans sad that he left the NBA with his head down.

No. 4: Andrew Bynum

Bynum's name has popped up in trade rumors involving Howard ever since the start of last season, and given how he had a career year, his trade value is at an all-time high.  The 24-year-old seven-footer averaged a career best 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks and didn't miss one game due to injury, so it's understandable as to why both Houston and Orlando would want him in a deal involving Howard.

However, let's not forget that in either case, Bynum could be the best player involved besides Howard.  Should he find himself on a new team, he could soon be expected to fill Howard's shoes and be a regular dominant big man.

Don't get me wrong. Bynum is talented, but he isn't nearly as strong and powerful as Howard.  That said, should he be sent to another team, namely Orlando, he could find himself the target of boos and jeers once he fails to live up to expectations.

No. 3: Jason Richardson

For most of his career, the 31-year-old Richardson has had a reputation as a good scorer, great long-range shooter and a phenomenal dunker.  Everything was going well for him, but then he got traded from the Phoenix Suns (for whom he was averaging 19.3 points per game at the time) to the Orlando Magic, and it was all downhill from there.

Once he was in Orlando, Richardson got stuck in Howard's shadow thanks to coach Stan Van Gundy's predictable offensive approach: get the ball to D12.  As a member of the Magic, the former Michigan State Spartan has only averaged 12.7 points per game and is little more than a shooter, thus resulting in his overall value dropping tremendously.

Seeing as how he would probably follow Howard to Houston if he was traded there, he would continue to live in the egotistical center's shadow and see his career go on an even greater decline. The way I see it, he's still young enough where he can be a top scorer on the right team.

Unfortunately for him, the right team is one without Howard, and the basketball gods seem intent on keeping them together.

No. 2: Mike Brown

Now that his team has Steve Nash, Lakers coach Mike Brown is under a lot of pressure to win.  He owns a very respectable 313-168 record as a head coach, and was the man on the sidelines for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the LeBron James glory years.

However, even with James leading his team, Brown could never get the Cavs over the hump. In the team's lone trip to the NBA Finals in 2007, they were swept by the more experienced San Antonio Spurs.

That being said, just imagine how much potential a Lakers team with Nash, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard would have.  That's a team that I would expect to make multiple trips to the NBA Finals, or at least get to the Conference Finals.

Still, if Brown can't keep Howard's ego in check and get him to be more of a team player, he'll forever carry the stigma of being a coach who can win, but not keep stars under control.  Seeing as how most team owners want a coach who can keep the roster happy, chances are that Brown won't be getting a call if this does indeed happen.

No. 1: His Own

I'm not sure if he realizes it, but ever since he made his first trade demand before last season Dwight Howard has slowly turned himself into the NBA's biggest villain.  He has acted like a petulant child day in and day out, and while I understand why he wants to be traded, he's going about it the wrong way.

Thus, who's to say that if he is traded and signs an extension with his new team that he won't soon tire of them and ask to be traded yet again?  At that point, I would doubt that any team would want to even associate with him given his attitude.

In the blink of an eye, Howard could go from being a top All-Star center to another immature whiner reminiscent of Allen Iverson, which I don't think he wants.  Unless he adjusts his attitude, he could very well ruin his own career by being labeled as a prima donna.