Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Agent Leaking Details of Magic Meeting Helps D12

If you're looking for the source of the leaks about disgruntled center Dwight Howard's meetings with Orlando Magic management, NBA commissioner David Stern says look no further than D12's agent, Dan Fegan.

Stern told USA Today Sports in a telephone interview, "It's very unique, especially if it's driven by a quote source that happens to be Dwight's agent. A source in the meeting. Oh, OK, who might that be?"

When asked if he thought it could be new Magic general manager Rob Hennigan, Stern said, "No, I don't, and I don't think it's (Magic CEO) Alex Martins either."

While calling out an agent seems outside of standard protocol for a league commissioner, Stern's suggestion that Fegan is the leak makes perfect sense.

All of the leaked information focused on Howard's wish to leave Orlando. That would do nothing except hurt Hennigan and Martins' haul in any trade for the three-time Defensive Player of the Year.

And that's why if Stern's theory is correct and Fegan is indeed the unnamed source behind the leaked information, it's an absolutely brilliant ploy.

The only loyalty Fegan has in this saga is to his client, Howard. D12 seemingly wants out of Orlando as much as 10-year-old me wanted a Playstation 2 for Christmas.

That means Fegan's only goal should be to get Howard moved to a preferred destination by any means necessary.

Leaking the fact that Howard's stance hasn't changed and that he staunchly stuck to his trade demand in the meeting with Hennigan and assistant general manager Scott Perry takes away Orlando's possible "we're keeping him" card.

Leaking that Howard will only extend with two trade partners (the Los Angeles Lakers or Brooklyn Nets) and that he'll sign with the Dallas Mavericks in free agency if his demand is not met narrows the Magic's trade partners.

By exposing himself as an obvious media leak, Fegan has systematically burned every bridge Howard had left in Orlando.

If D12 opens the regular season with the Magic, he'll be jeered at a level we haven't seen since LeBron's first return to Cleveland and the ongoing storyline would undoubtedly submarine the entire Orlando season.

Fegan knows that Magic management doesn't want that. He also knows that the longer the trade process drags on, the less likely the Lakers stay in the mix. That would give Howard only one option (Brooklyn) or force the center to be a two-month deadline rental.

By becoming the "unnamed source," Fegan is forcing the Magic's hand into acting now. He's giving his client exactly what he wants—a ticket out of Orlando.

It might not be the most ethically sound move, but it's a brilliant one that proves why Fegan is among the NBA's best agents.