NBA Rumors: Trading Dwight Howard Is Smartest Move for Orlando Magic

As the NBA season finally draws near, rumors are hitting the worldwide web hard, and if the Orlando Magic have a brain at all, they will follow through and make a deal to send Dwight Howard packing. 

Howard is without a doubt the best center in the league. A rare athlete with a ton of talent, Howard will dominate for a long time, and has the potential to go down as the greatest center in the history of the NBA. 

The best of the best win titles, and that is why Howard will no longer be with the Magic after this year. A free agent after this short season, Howard will pack his bags to join a championship-contending team, leaving the Magic in a world of hurt. 

To avoid all of this pain, Orlando has to trade him so they can get good value in return. They drafted Howard, and just letting him walk away without getting something back for him would be a waste. 

It's becoming more and more clear that Howard will soon be on his way out. ESPN's Marc Stein tweeted late last night exactly what some prominent figures around the league have heard. 

The Magic need to stop considering and just go ahead and do it. Howard leaving at the end of the year is inevitable. Orlando doesn't have the means to surround Howard with the talent he needs, which is why he won't be around much longer. 

Trading Howard and moving on is the best way to go for Orlando. The focus turns to the future, and while some may view that as a bad thing, it's not the case at all. The Magic had a good run with Howard, but they have to realize they missed their chances on a championship, and Howard is going to find it somewhere else.

There were rumors that Howard would be heading to the New Jersey Nets, but the team's general manager Billy King denied that he has recently had talks with Orlando about making a deal for Howard.

King could be playing with us, as it's no secret executives, coaches, players, etc. all lie to the media at times. If he indeed hasn't talked to Orlando, he might want to reconsider.

Given the recent news about Deron Williams not planning to sign an extension with the Nets during the season, King and others should get to work on bringing in talent to help Williams stay.

With the NBA lockout coming to a close and free agency talk heating up, it's about to be a madhouse around the league. Orlando has to play this smart and make sure they aren't screwed in the end. Just letting Howard walk will devastate the Magic's future, and the front office cannot let that happen.

Howard may not be demanding a trade, but his departure from the team at the end of the year is highly likely, and that is why the Magic must send him packing.