NBA Trade Rumors: Dwight Howard Demands Are Crippling Magic

Here's how trades generally work: Player makes it known he would like to be traded, if player has any leverage at all over where he goes he makes it known which teams he would play for and player accepts that he may not get his first choice in the dealings.

Here's how Dwight Howard has handled things: He's (reportedly) made demands specifying one or two teams he would sign an extension with, he's (reportedly) been adamant he won't broaden that list, and he's essentially destroyed an trade leverage the Orlando Magic might have.

Frankly, it's all really, really annoying at this point.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports has the latest update on the world's longest-running ordeal in the history of everything:

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Howard continues to rule out a future with the Magic, and wants a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers before the start of the season, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

"Dwight remained unchanged in his want to be traded," a source with knowledge of the meeting said. "And he has no intention of signing another contract extension with Orlando."

"

According to Wojnarowski, Howard would be open to the Magic dealing him to the Nets come January if he can't be moved to the Lakers, and if he isn't traded to either team would simply sign with the Dallas Mavericks next summer.

I'm glad he has everything figured out.

To a certain extent, the bad rap Howard has been getting isn't fully deserved. He has the right to go where he wants to once he hits free agency, and he doesn't need to sign an extension for a team he doesn't want to play for just to help the Magic.

Heck, you could make the argument he did the Magic a huge favor by signing his player option for this year, giving the team another year to work out a favorable trade for him or try (obviously in vain) to convince him to stay.

Still, it seems as though a great lack of flexibility surrounds Howard as of now. At some point, I think he owes it to the Magic to at least consider signing an extension with more than one or two teams. The NBA is a superstar league, so the loss of a player like Howard can cripple a franchise for years.

I'm not saying he needs to be willing to play for the Charlotte Bobcats. I just think he should keep his options a bit more open.

It's his right not to, and if he doesn't mind the collateral damage that comes from giving the Magic virtually no leverage in a trade or even leaving them high and dry via free agency, that's his right.

But he also should understand that we're all going to be very annoyed with him while he does so.

He may not have a ridiculous display of narcissism like the "The Decision" to announce his departure from Orlando, but the drawn-out nature of his trade talks ultimately might be worse for his reputation.

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