Dwight Howard to the Nets: Guide to the Potential Move

Dwight Howard has an early termination clause in his contract which will allow him to enter free agency following the 2011-12 NBA season.

While some are holding out hope that he'll remain in Orlando, Howard has already cited on several occasions that he won't sign an extension with the team unless the Magic can improve the roster around him.

Fans around the league are eager to see the most dominant player suit up for their squad, but it's a guessing game at this point as to where he'll ultimately land.

It's imperative that whatever team targets Howard understands what it's going to take to bring him aboard (whether it's via trade or free agent signing), and New Jersey is in a good position to make a very legitimate run at No. 12.

The Nets have been a bottom-feeding franchise for a long time, but with Deron Williams aboard and Howard's addition possible, that's certainly a trend that could be bucked rather quickly.

Here's how the situation could play out.

How It Could Happen: Signing

The Nets are in a promising position as it currently stands to pursue Howard via the free agency route should the team choose to do so, but it doesn't come without caveats.

While the team's long-term financial flexibility obviously stands to be impacted by any transactions before the summer of 2012, the Nets currently have just under $38 million outstanding, and that includes a player option on Deron Williams' contract.

There would be enough room in the outlined scenario to also bring Howard aboard on a lucrative contract, and the chance to play alongside Williams would likely be a welcomed one for the big man.

Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld noted that Howard listed Chris Paul, Stephen Jackson, Deron Williams, Anthony Morrow and Monta Ellis as guys who he'd love to play with, and two of those aforementioned five names are already on the team's roster.

How It Could Happen: Trade

It's not going to be as tough for the Nets to put together an enticing package for Howard as it would be for some other rumored clubs, but it certainly won't be easy.

Any trade that were to occur between Orlando and New Jersey would obviously have to include Brook Lopez at its epicenter, but it's going to take more than just a straight-up swap to get this deal done.

Travis Outlaw's four years and $28 million left on his current contract has less appeal than a bag of basketballs on the trade market, and it's not going to be easy to convince Orlando to take a chance on Johan Petro or Jordan Farmar, either.

Should the Nets decide to attempt to facilitate a trade, the club's best bet is to involve a third team, as it would allow for a greater return for Orlando to help re-stock the team after the franchise center departs.

Potential Trade: Three-team deal.

New Jersey Receives: C Dwight Howard

The Nets get Howard, and that's what this is all about.

Orlando Receives: SG Brandon Roy, C Brook Lopez, two first-round picks from New Jersey, future second-round pick from Portland

The Magic get a multitude of draft picks for the team's future, a center to build around going forward, and a player anxious to re-establish his (once highly valuable) worth around the league while shedding Turkoglu's contract.

Portland Receives: SF Hedo Turkoglu, PF Ryan Anderson, SG Anthony Morrow, future second-round pick from Orlando

Although the Blazers take on Turkoglu's deal, the team rids itself of Roy's behemoth deal and provides some long-term financial flexibility.

The club also adds some very valuable reserve pieces in Anderson and Morrow, deepening one of the most thorough rotations in the league.

How Howard Fits in with the Nets

There's no doubt that Howard would be a welcomed addition to the team, and Deron Williams would really love to have him manning the paint.

While the club would obviously be a better one with Howard and Williams in the fold, the Nets have to find a way to keep D-Will with the team long-term, and bringing Howard aboard would help support that cause.

The Nets have already made it clear that aggressively pursuing Howard will be atop the team's to-do list, and the front office has already gone on the record to Williams stating the club's desire to bring the center onto the roster.

It's very important to note that Williams made no commitments to the Nets upon his being acquired via trade from Utah, and his decision to switch agents prior to his free agency is in indication that he's certainly gearing up for the negotiating stage.

It would be a fearsome duo, and an idea that would have to appeal to both Howard and Williams if the two are serious about winning together.

Chances of Winning a Championship for Nets with Howard

The Nets have a lot of improving to do, and although a combination of Howard and Williams would be a phenomenal one-two punch, it takes more than two to find success on the hardwood.

The entire scenario isn't meant to be a knock on Lopez, who is a very promising young center despite his rebounding troubles in 2010-11, but rather a monumental opportunity for a franchise that has traditionally underperformed to really make an emphatic statement about its future.

Upon Mikhail Prokhorov taking over the team, he promised that the Nets would win a championship within the next five seasons, and the clock is rapidly ticking on his prediction to achieve that goal.

There's no doubt that Howard's arrival would definitely increase the team's slim chances of capturing a championship, but the Eastern Conference is loaded with talent, and the Nets are going to have to overcome some solid competition in the quest to climb to the top.

Odds of Howard Landing in New Jersey

Odds: 40 percent

It's nice to see Howard and Williams in the same uniform, isn't it?

As mentioned throughout, the pairing of one of the league's most talented point guards and its most dominant center would make for a potent one, but it takes more than just two to enjoy sustained success.

While a theoretical deal could be constructed rapidly, the Magic are going to take serious time in deciding the future of the franchise's most important player since Shaquille O'Neal, and the team certainly won't take just any deal.

It's important to realize the ripple effect that any Howard deal would have for the parties involved, and for that reason, any trade is going to be a challenge to get done.

The Nets are likely to need the help of a third team in order to introduce him via trade, but if he reaches free agency, the club definitely has a distinct chance to land him.