NBA Trade Rumors: Why Dwight Howard Will Be Traded Before Chris Paul

Since the NBA lockout is coming to a close, the trade talks for Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams are heating up more than ever. The first to be on the move will be none other than Superman himself. 

The Orlando Magic have to know Howard will be gone after this season, even if he continues to say he wants to continue playing there.

The lockout has given him plenty of time to think things over, and if he hasn't realized leaving the Magic is the best way for him to win a title, then something is seriously wrong with the big man.

Yes, the New Orleans Hornets also know Paul is likely to be gone after this season as well, but because Howard is a 25-year-old, 6'11" monster, he will be on the move first.

The Magic can try to be stubborn, but soon offers will pour in because everyone wants to get their hands on the big man. If you have a dominant center in the NBA, you're going to go far.

Just look at the Magic the past few years. Howard has almost single-handedly taken them to the postseason, but with lesser talent around him the team couldn't quite win it all.

There will be a team or two that decides to throw the bank at the Magic in order to get Howard, and Orlando would be wise to jump on any of the lucrative deals.  

These three players are biggest names on the market, as they're all elite stars that happen to be free agents in 2012. It is very likely they all end up with different teams for next year. 

Only the New Jersey Nets, Williams' team, really has the means to add talent around the point guard. The Nets know that if Williams is going to stay, he'll need some better players on his team to make him want to be in New Jersey—well, soon to be Brooklyn, actually.

That leaves Paul and Howard as the guys more likely to be on the move at some point during the season. Neither is going to win a title on their respective teams, which is why they should be traded sooner rather than later.

The Hornets and the Magic need to get great value in return for these players, as it will help them build toward the future.

One team said to have interest in both players is the Los Angeles Clippers. They know molding a team around Blake Griffin is the way to go, and since they're in a fantastic city, making big moves to get out of the Lakers' shadow is very smart. 

ESPN's NBA guru Chris Broussard tweeted last night some information from his sources on the likelihood of these guys being traded.

He followed it up with this one.

Whatever it takes, you say? That means almost anyone is up for grabs, so say good-bye to Chris Kaman or DeAndre Jordan, and young stars like Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Gordon or Eric Bledsoe. 

Much of the talk after the season was over was about Howard heading to the Lakers. However, the Clippers also makes a lot of sense. Granted, it will be difficult, but it's still possible. They're smart in throwing all their eggs in the Howard basket, as having him on the team will pay off more than Paul.

Sure, Paul is one of the best point guards in the league, but the Clippers don't need a megastar to run the point with Griffin, especially when they could have the best center in the NBA. 

According to one prominent agent quoted in the New York Daily News, because "extend and trade and sign and trade are both available, then it should help Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Dwight Howard all be able to have leverage to move teams this year if they so choose." 

These guys want to win championships, and the best way to do that is to leave and find a new team. Their current teams need to wise up and deal them—with the exception of Williams—so they can get something in return as opposed to just letting them walk away. 

It won't be long before one is traded, and the first to go will be Howard because he is wanted by practically all teams.