NBA Trade Speculation: 10 Trades to Keep Dwight Howard in Orlando

The Dwight Howard trade and free agency speculation has been rampant.

I previously chimed in with 10 teams that could make good offers for Superman, and 10 potential big threes with Howard.

Despite writing those articles, I still think Howard would like to stay in Orlando if the team could field a good supporting cast. I was wondering what kinds of pieces they could bring in with their limited trade assets and non-existent salary cap flexibility.

Here are 10 trades that could improve Orlando and keep Dwight in the fold.

The J-Smoove Special

No name has been hotter when linked to Orlando than Howard's buddy and frequent playoff opponent Josh Smith. He has been one of the biggest names in trade rumors for years.

According to some, the Atlanta Hawks and Smith are ready to part ways.

Trade:

Orlando gets: Smith, Kirk Hinrich.

Atlanta gets: Brandon Bass, Daniel Orton, Chris Duhon, Jason Thompson, 1st round pick (ORL), 2nd round pick (SAC).

Sacramento gets: Jameer Nelson

Sacramento is still looking for a real point guard if news reports are to be believed. Nelson could fill that hole for them.

While Atlanta covets a true center, this wouldn't be a bad deal. They would immediately get $9 million in savings, a replacement four in Bass, a young forward-center in Thompson, a project center in Orton, and a new backup point.

Their front line would be strengthened and they could allow Jeff Teague to take over at point guard.

Howard would likely be thrilled to be re-united with Smith. Smith is a decent second option, and that would put two of the NBA's top dunkers and shot-blockers on the same team. It would be very difficult to take it in on these two.

Hinrich is a very solid point guard who can shoot, pass, and defend. He is probably a better fit than Nelson, and his ability to defend multiple positions would allow him and Gilbert Arenas to play together sometimes.

The Lakers Deal... That Does NOT Involve Howard or Bynum

This certainly won't be the first time you see a rumored LA-Orlando trade. Fortunately though, this isn't another Howard-to-the-Lakers proposal.

Trade:

Orlando gets: Lamar Odom, Steve Blake, 2nd round pick.

Los Angeles gets: Jameer Nelson, Brandon Bass

Los Angeles finally gets an upgrade at point guard. Nelson would be their best point guard since Nick Van Exel. They also get a very serviceable replacement for Odom in Brandon Bass.

Odom isn't an All-Star, but comes close when he is playing well. He would bring his versatility, ball-handling and rebounding to Dwight's supporting cast.

L.O. could play the three or four, and would become Orlando's second-best player.

Nelson's departure would allow Arenas to get playing time, and hopefully find his rhythm as a result. Blake would take over as the backup point.

The Twin Towers Trade: Al Jefferson

Trade:

Orlando gets: Al Jefferson, Raja Bell.

Utah gets: JJ Redick, Orton, Donte Greene, two 1st round picks (ORL), two 2nd round picks (SAC, ORL).

Sacramento gets: Jameer Nelson

With their logjam of bigs, the Jazz probably need to trade one, and Jefferson looks like the best candidate currently.

Utah would get a starting shooting guard, a couple raw young pieces, some picks, and instant savings of over $7 million while making room for their young post players.

Orlando would be dominant in the post with a Jefferson-Howard duo. Big Al is a great post scorer who can stretch out to the mid-range and actually makes his free throws.

He also possesses shot-blocking ability and wouldn't leave much room in the lane for opposing players alongside Howard.

Sacramento snatches up Nelson for a song, a dance, and some cap space.

Monta Ellis: Why Not?

Monta Ellis has been another hot name on the trade block. As is their habit, Orlando has gotten involved in those discussions.

Trade:

Orlando gets: Monta Ellis, Luis Amundson, Charlie Bell.

Golden State gets: Redick, Thompson, 1st round pick (ORL), 2nd round pick (SAC).

Sacramento gets: Who do you think?

Golden State gets two solid young players and the two draft picks. More importantly though is the $8 million dollars they would shed. This would allow them to pursue a top-flight center like Nene, Marc Gasol, or DeAndre Jordan. 

Monta wouldn't be the best fit in Orlando. But he is a near All-Star, something that Orlando really needs. The Magic also lack players who can create their own shots (jacking up perimeter shots doesn't count), a need that Monta would fill.

Amundson and Bell would likely see limited minutes and are included only to save Golden State some cap space.

We know the story with Sacramento by now.

The Bad Salary Swap Gamble: Ben Gordon and Charlie V

The Pistons took advantage of their cap space to overpay Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva and plunge themselves into perennial badness. The Magic were smart enough to not overpay Hedo Turkoglu, but were content to wait until he was over the hill and give up assets for his terrible contract.

Oh by the way, NBA teams are losing money...

Trade:

Orlando gets: Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva.

Detroit gets: Hedo Turkoglu, Bass.

Detroit still gets an overpaid player in Turkoglu, but pay a lot less than with the wealthy Charlie V./Benny G. combo. They also get a serviceable power forward at a small price. Another step in the long rebuilding process.

Orlando takes a gamble here that Gordon would be motivated to return to his Sixth Man of the Year level play and become a super-sub for them. If he could put up 18 points per game again, that would make it well worth it.

A Bulls-era Gordon would be Orlando's second best player.

Villanueva can stretch the floor and sometimes has good games. His shortcomings on defense wouldn't show as much with Howard protecting the basket.

Phoenix Again...

The Suns did pretty well the last time they made a trade with Orlando. They should be happy to take any calls from the Magic.

Trade:

Orlando gets: Josh Childress, Channing Frye, Jared Dudley.

Phoenix gets: Redick, Quentin Richardson, 2nd round pick

Phoenix clears up their big-man (Frye, Warrick, Morris, Lopez, Gortat) and small forward (Dudley, Childress, Pietrus, Hill) logjams. They fill the hole at the two with Redick and Richardson.

More importantly, they get rid of Frye and Childress's bad contracts. They don't get perceptibly worse in the short run, though the loss of Dudley hurts.

Orlando gets a good small forward of the future in Dudley. Turkoglu is currently their only player at that position. Dudley would still spread the floor, and would easily be Orlando's best defender outside of Dwight.

Frye would both backup and play alongside Superman. His ability to stretch the floor would be key, and his arrival would make one of Orlando's other power forwards expendable.

The Magic would hope that the athletic but overpaid Childress just had a down year last year and could play at a high-level again.

O.J. Mayo

Trade:

Orlando gets: OJ Mayo.

Memphis gets: Daniel Orton, 1st round pick, 2nd round pick

Memphis nearly traded the ultra-talented Mayo for Josh McRoberts and a pick last year. It appears that Juice's days are numbered in Memphis.

Assuming the Grizz hold on to Gasol, they will have a lot of money committed to him, Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay, and Mike Conley. With plenty of talent on the wings, they may not have the ability or need to keep Mayo.

Orton is nothing more than a project, but at least he is paid a lot less than Hasheem Thabeet. A backup center is their only real need right now. Memphis saves $4.5 million to put towards re-signing Gasol.

Mayo would get a big role in Orlando, and would hopefully be able to resume the potential he showed in his first couple years before he regressed last year.

OJ would certainly be one of the most talented players Orlando has seen in years and could provide some nice scoring support for Howard on the wing. His defense, playmaking, and shooting are decent as well.

The 40 Degree Difference Deal

Trade:

Orlando gets: Jose Calderon, Leandro Barbosa, Amir Johnson.

Toronto gets: Jameer Nelson, Brandon Bass, Chris Duhon

Toronto has been trying to get rid of Calderon and find a replacement for a long time now. They achieve that here.

They also trade in Johnson, not a bad player but the recipient of a silly contract last year. Bass is a similar, but cheaper and more experienced power forward.

The Raptors save over $6 million instantly, more in the future, and make more room for some of their younger players without losing much talent.

For Orlando, Calderon may not be as good as Nelson but probably would be a better fit. He is one of the best, and most underrated, passers in the league, and a great shooter.

Barbosa would bring some much needed stability and scoring punch to the bench. Johnson would provide some nice young energy play at the backup four position.

Minor Minnesota Trade

Trade:

Orlando gets: Martell Webster, Anthony Tolliver.

Minnesota gets: Redick

This is basically a swap of need for need.

Martell Webster is an underrated player in my view, but will not get a lot of playing time on the Wolves with their boatload of forwards. What they need is a shooting guard, and Redick would fit nicely.

Providing they re-sign Jason Richardson, the Magic are fine at shooting guard. They are kind of weak at small forward, with an aging Turkoglu the only regular player at that position.

Webster is streaky on offense but has very decent defense and athleticism.

Tolliver would be a backup center, and maybe see some minutes at power forward as well.

This trade isn't going to blow people away, but may be the small boost they need. Particularly in combination with one of the other trades.

For Magic Fans Only... Chris Paul!!!

It seems there are very few teams who don't have fans proposing Chris Paul trades. So I'll throw the people of Orlando a bone here.

Trade:

Orlando gets: Chris Paul, Emeka Okafor, Jarret Jack.

Sacramento gets: Nelson, Richardson, Duhon.

New Orleans gets: Thompson, Greene, Redick, Orton, Anderson, two 1st round picks and two 2nd round picks (ORL), an all-expenses paid trip to Disneyworld, free dinner at any Orlando Magic fans' house, Otis Smith's firstborn son, a framed photo of the Orlando Magic 2013 title team

Say Chris Paul becomes really unhappy in New Orleans and tells management that he must be traded to Orlando or he will just leave in free agency. This deal MIGHT get it done.

They would get a couple of solid but unspectacular young players and some cap relief. The extras obviously aren't really going to be included but you get the idea...

The benefits for Orlando would be obvious, even when you take into account the huge price tag and positional redundancy.

Any team with Chris Paul and Dwight Howard and a half-decent supporting cast would be a contender.