NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers, Nets and Mavs, Who Has Best Chance for Dwight Howard?

Dwight Howard gave Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith three teams he'd be willing to extend with: the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks and the New Jersey Nets. According to KC Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, that's not going to change. 

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As for the pipe dream of Dwight Howard, the Bulls have had preliminary talks with Magic general manager Otis Smith, according to sources. However, with agent Dan Fegan making clear Howard will sign a long-term extension only with the Lakers, Nets or Mavericks, the market will be limited.

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No one is going to to deal the franchise for a one-year rental, and the Magic aren't going to deal Howard for less than that. Therefore, we can be certain that the best center in the league will be a Maverick, a Laker or a Net before long. 

The Dallas Mavericks, surprisingly, haven't really shown much interest in pursuing him. Of course, this might be an issue of the reality they don't have any chips to trade. They don't have any high picks owed to them, and needless to say if Howard is paired next to Dirk Nowitzki, their first-round picks are going to be completely useless. 

The truth is Dallas just doesn't have anything to trade. 

The Los Angeles Lakers were considered by most the favorites until the last few days. Two things happened that really have impacted that status. First, it was presumed that Howard's first choice was the Lakers, but his pronouncement that the Nets were his first choice calls that into question at the very least. 

The other reason it's called into question is that according to the Los Angeles Times, on the Howard front, "There's nothing going on."  Apparently the Magic want both Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum and the Lakers don't want to give that up. 

This is further fueled by the fact that the Lakers essentially dumped Lamar Odom yesterday, getting nothing but a trade exception and a late first-round pick in return. 

That's an asset that could have been used in a trade with the Magic. It's possible, though not all that realistic, that the Magic simply don't want Odom and the Lakers dealt him to the Mavs to offset salary.  

Of course, one thing we know is that rumors mean nothing. Heck, when it comes to the Lakers, completed trade agreements mean nothing. The Lakers could still be working on something.

If they aren't, this offseason is a disaster for the Lakers and David Stern will need bodyguards to walk around that city.

The New Jersey Nets have been offering a package that includes first-round picks and Brook Lopez. That rumor came out almost as soon as the lockout ended, but the Magic haven't yet pulled the trigger on that trade hoping for something better. 

It's looking less and less like they are going to get that. With the trade exception they received from the Odom trade, the Lakers could theoretically trade Bynum for Howard and Hedo Turkoglu, absorbing the contract and giving the Magic a salary dump. 

At this point, the Magic are getting the best offer from the team that Howard says he prefers to go to. All signs point to the Nets. While there's a long history of the Lakers somehow getting the best center in the league from other teams, that history looks like it's going to come to an end, although that's hard to completely believe. 

For now, it looks like the Nets are going to get Howard.