NBA Trade Speculation: Dwight Howard To Leave Orlando for L.A. Lakers?

With the passing of LeBron James’ “decision” and the largest trade in NBA history headlined by Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard is now under the free agency microscope.

The Orlando Magic center is signed through the 2012-13 season, but he can choose to opt out of his contract at the end of next season.

Fed up with the media’s constant badgering and speculation that he already has one foot out the door, Howard insists he has no intention of leaving and says the city of Orlando suits him just fine.

Last month, Howard appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Fallon, a New Yorker and avid Knicks fan, playfully nudged Howard to join the Knicks.

Expecting comments of this sort, Howard had prepared some creative responses.

“I’ll come to New York when we play the Knicks,” Howard deadpanned.

In regards to Orlando, he later said, “I want to stay. I love Orlando. It’s a beautiful, beautiful city, and I have a nice two-bedroom house there.”

Magic fans have reason to worry that Howard already has Orlando in his rear view with his sights set on a new destination; sarcastic comments such as these don’t help his cause to convince them otherwise.

Although Howard’s tenure with the team has already outlasted former Orlando Magic center Shaquille O’Neal, the similarities are eerily similar.

In 1996, O’Neal was the most dominant, physically imposing center in the league. Two years prior, he led his team to the NBA Finals and lost. The following season, he failed to go beyond the Eastern Conference Finals.

Accepting that perhaps Orlando was not the place he’d realize his dream of a championship, O’Neal headed to the west coast after four seasons to become the centerpiece of one of the NBA’s most storied franchises, the Los Angeles Lakers.

It was in L.A. that O’Neal teamed up with a young Kobe Bryant to win three consecutive championships and solidify his legacy as one of the greatest big men the game has ever known.

While on-the-court success was clearly motivation for the move, O’Neal was not merely a basketball player. He was also a budding actor and musician. It was no coincidence he chose the entertainment capital of the world.

In 2011, Dwight Howard is in a league of his own. An offensive and defensive juggernaut, he averaged 22.9 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game during the regular season; no other center is remotely capable of putting up these type of numbers game after game.

Ironically, Howard fell short in the NBA Finals two years ago and was eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2010 as well. He is also an aspiring actor, having already appeared in a children’s television series and on the big screen.

Sound familiar?

Although the 2011 playoffs are still in their infancy, if Game 1 between the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks is any indication, the future looks bleak. Despite a video game-esque 46-point, 19-rebound stat line from Howard, the Magic still found themselves on the losing end, 103-93.

From Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu to Vince Carter and Jason Richardson, Orlando’s front office continues to surround Howard with overpaid superstars in the twilight of their careers.

With teams full of young talent like the Chicago Bulls competing in the East, a title run with Orlando may no longer be attainable.

If a handbook for professional athletes existed, it would certainly advise against rocking the boat via comments relayed through media outlets. So long as you’re still employed, the last thing you want to do is upset the organization and its fan base.

Howard understands despite what he may truly feel, he can’t always voice an honest opinion, but don’t be surprised if an early playoff exit changes his mind.

Once Howard publicly acknowledges that he wants out of Orlando and shows interest in the Lakers, don’t doubt for one second that Jerry Buss will ship the damaged goods he has in center Andrew Bynum right out of town.

Pairing Howard with an aging Bryant may be just what the franchise needs to build another dynasty.

After all, a Superman remake is long overdue and Hollywood is the perfect setting.