NBA Trade Rumors: Why OKC Thunder Have the Best Chance to Land Dwight Howard

The 2011 NBA Draft is tonight in New York City, and the Oklahoma City Thunder will once again try to strike gold in an event that has helped make them a championship contender for many years to come. 

Oklahoma City has used the draft to build the core of its team, including stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, as well as key role players James Harden and Serge Ibaka. 

They have drafted so well over the last few seasons, and have developed their players better than other NBA teams who have drafted well, but haven’t taken the “next step” as a franchise. The Atlanta Hawks are a team who has drafted well in recent seasons, but has not been able to get out of the conference semifinals during the playoffs. 

The Thunder have the 24th overall pick in tonight’s draft, and don’t expect them to trade up. Last year’s pick of Cole Aldrich out of Kansas has not worked out, so instead of getting younger, the Thunder will look to add some playoff tested veterans in the summer. 

But could the Thunder use their young talent and first-round draft pick to acquire a big name superstar player such as Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard? 

Howard is unlikely to sign a contract extension with the Magic before he becomes a free agent next summer, so Orlando must try to get the most value for him as soon as possible. Why trade him during next season and ruin your team’s chemistry midway through the year?

Trading Howard now is Orlando’s best option if they really believe he won’t re-sign. 

There is no team in the league with more talented young players than Oklahoma City, and none of them except Kevin Durant are making huge money. 

The Magic would be foolish to trade with any other team but OKC if the Thunder are willing to listen to trade proposals for Howard. 

While Durant isn’t leaving OKC for a long time, let’s look at some players the Thunder would be willing to offer in a blockbuster trade. 

Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Eric Maynor are all fantastic young guards who are capable of being star players in the NBA. 

Big men Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins, and Nick Collison are all young players who are solid defensively, and Perkins has championship experience from his 2008 title with the Boston Celtics. 

So which players would the Magic covet the most? 

Westbrook is a superstar in this league and a top 5 point guard with the potential to get a lot better, and a lot smarter. He would be at the top of Orlando’s list for sure. 

Ibaka is a defensive presence with his shot blocking and rebounding, and has expanded his offensive game which will only get better. He too would be highly coveted by the Magic. 

Perkins is also a major part of any proposed trade with Orlando, because his defense at center is only a notch below Howard’s. 

Perkins would also provide the Magic with championship experience, and toughness in the paint. His contract pays him around $10 million over the next four seasons, which isn’t too big, and is tradeable if Orlando wants to trade Perkins in the future. 

The Thunder will not give up Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka in one package, so Maynor is a possible third or fourth option. 

Westbrook could play shooting guard in Orlando, and Maynor is fully ready to be a starting point guard in the NBA. 

In the case of giving up two good guards, the Thunder will need another point guard for next season. This is where they look to the draft. 

Nolan Smith of Duke and Shelvin Mack of Butler are two of the better “pure” point guards in this year’s draft, and both should be available when the Thunder draft at pick 24. 

Smith and Mack will get the ball to Durant and the other OKC scorers as their top priority, and will not look for their own offense as much as Westbrook does. 

While trading for Dwight Howard isn’t a move the Thunder need to make in order to improve, it would certainly make them the favorites to win the NBA Finals next season. 

A trade involving Howard is a win for both OKC and Orlando. The Thunder get a franchise center for the future in Howard, and the Magic get great value in return for their star player who most likely won’t re-sign when he’s a free agent in the summer of 2012. 

The Thunder will win multiple NBA titles in the next five to seven years, but they can expedite their ascent to the basketball summit with a trade for Dwight Howard tonight at the draft, or later this summer.

Nicholas Goss is an NBA and Oklahoma City Thunder featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, follow him on Twitter for NBA and Thunder news and analysis.