Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Why NBA's Best Center Is Better off Fleeing Magic

As the NBA season finally draws near, it's still up in the air as to where Dwight Howard will play this year, but if he were smart he'd make sure it wasn't with the Orlando Magic. 

Last week, Howard demanded a trade, which funny enough, was the day after it was announced Chris Paul was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers and then not traded to the Lakers because the NBA killed the deal. 

Now, Howard is going back on what he said and is claiming he would like to stay in Orlando. 

Word of advice for you at this time Dwight, stop talking to the public with your crazy menopausal-like mood swings. 

We get that Orlando has been great for you, but wake up and smell the coffee; you're never going to win a championship there. 

In this shortened season, if Howard does indeed play for the Magic, he'll realize it's not the right place for him then walk away in free agency. 

If the Magic had a brain at all, they'd trade him right now to avoid the massive headache that will ensue at the end of the season once Howard leaves and Orlando gets nothing.

Having turned 26 four days ago, Howard could have received the best present ever from the Magic: a trade. He asked for it then, but never got it. 

According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Howard would love to play in Orlando again. 

"

If it is meant for me to stay here, I'll stay. I love this city. There is no place I'd rather be but Orlando. I just want to make sure we have the right things here so we can win a championship. I'm all about change. If you're willing to change and you're willing to do what it takes to win then, you know, you got me. 

"

The Magic are trying to change as much as possible, but Howard will soon figure out it won't be enough to compete with New York, Miami and Boston, and he'll find a new home. 

Sure, Orlando could trade him during the season, but that's a huge hassle the Magic are better off avoiding. 

With the LA Lakers and New Jersey Nets as prime bidders for Howard, playing with Kobe Bryant or Deron Williams is a much better option than staying in Orlando to deal with scrub players and the newest addition of Glen "Big Baby" Davis. 

You can't blame the Magic for setting the price so high right now, but eventually, they're going to have to come down on it and make a move. 

Since teams made new additions, the Magic are likely to end up as the fifth maybe sixth best team in the East, and after that happens Howard will definitely want to leave. 

The young star needs to wise up, go back to demanding a trade and join a winning team. Some will say that the Nets won't be title contenders, but they're underestimating how good Williams and Howard would be together. 

They won't win a title right away, but the team will continue to build around those two, and they'll eventually get there.

In the end, Howard should really want to join the Lakers the most, but having just traded Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks, it may be difficult for LA to land the big man. 

It's unclear what will happen with Howard this year, but one thing's for certain, he has to get out of Orlando before he wastes another season during the prime of his career with such a sorry team.