NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Teams That Must Make Plays for Dwight Howard

It’s no secret that Dwight Howard will not be playing basketball for the Orlando Magic next season, and the longer the situation draws out, the worse off everybody is.

The Magic have to make a move now and start rebuilding for the future immediately.

The LA Lakers are the team that has been mentioned more often than any other, but is that the best fit for Howard? The roster is littered with aging players trending downwards, and the amount of talent that would be surrendered make the Lakers a two-star version of the Miami Heat.

Here is the unofficial list of what Howard is factoring in:

He wants to be on a team contending for a championship.

He wants to play in a warm-weather city.

He wants to play in a big market.

So what teams can offer all of that in addition to an attractive player for Howard?

These five teams…

5. Houston Rockets

The team is still devastated over the cancelled Chris Paul trade that would have netted them Pau Gasol, and securing Howard would certainly ease the pain.

The Rockets have done a terrific job of stock piling assets and have enough of them to entice Magic G.M Otis Smith.

Luis Scola and Kevin Martin are starters on almost any team in the league, Goran Dragic is oozing with potential, and Patrick Peterson is still developing as well. Throw in a few draft picks, and I think Houston can sway the Magic.

But does Howard want to go to a team without any other stars?

Doubtful. 

4. Dallas Mavericks

Mark Cuban has quietly set himself up to afford a mega-free agent signing next offseason.

They can sway Howard with Dirk Nowitzki, a cool owner, a big market and warm weather.

All of the important factors on Howard’s end are a match; the problem is, Orlando would never trade him to Dallas.

You are not getting Howard for Brendan Haywood, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry, Roddy Beaubois and a bevy of first-round picks.

This isn’t going to happen via trade, and Dallas must hope that Howard plays out his contract this season and picks the Mavericks in the summer.

3. New Jersey Nets

The Nets are dangling Brook Lopez as the centerpiece in a potential deal with two first-round picks as the side dish. Problem is, Howard singlehandedly nets 40 or more wins, meaning the draft picks will be in the middle of the first round.

The Magic are going to want more than that.

Yet the-soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets are one of the select few teams on Howard’s wish list, and the Nets' best bet at this point is to get a third team involved in a trade. A potential third team may be Portland, who is currently shopping Gerald Wallace.

Playing alongside Deron Williams, the Nets would suddenly be one of the most intriguing teams in the league. 

2. Chicago Bulls

I’m pretty sure a Derrick Rose-Dwight Howard combination would net a minimum of one title, and potentially five or six.

Chicago passes the big market test, and I think Howard could suck it up when it gets cold. So why aren’t the Bulls pushing for a deal where they trade Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Omer Asik, salary-cap filler and two No. 1 picks for Howard?

Maybe they are behind the scenes, but it’s odd to me that the Bulls aren’t pushing for this harder. They aren’t going to beat the Heat as currently constructed; might as well roll the dice and go all-in with Howard.

The real mystery is, why isn’t Howard realizing this? Why isn’t Chicago on his list?

1. LA Lakers

I think the Lakers are still the front-runners to snag Howard, if for no other reason than getting some sort of trade done after the Chris Paul fiasco.

They have two huge assets (literally) in Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum that should be enough for the Magic. Los Angeles certainly passes the warm weather/big market request, and he can play with Kobe Bryant, one of the 10 best players of all time.

But a gutted Lakers team is not going to be the Heat or the Bulls. They would still not be a complete team. The next couple of months are going to really show us what Howard really cares about.

If it’s about money and hanging with Jay-Z, the Nets are his choice. If he wants to dabble further in-depth into his “superman” persona, it’s LA.

If he wants to win multiple championships and potentially be on one of the all-time great teams, he’ll pick Chicago.