NBA Rumors Roundup: Nets Closing in on Dwight Howard, Nuggets Re-sign Afflalo

Dwight Howard is still a member of the Orlando Magic, but trade rumors continue to swirl around him and will persist as long as he remains without a new team.

Although the initial frenzy has quieted down from when the transaction period opened on December 9, there are still moves being made and teams looking to improve prior to the season starting.

There are five short days until the 2011-12 campaign finally tips off, and it will be a welcome sight for hoops fans who have been desperate for some meaningful action.

Dante Cunningham

The Memphis Grizzlies are in a tough spot after learning that Darrell Arthur will miss the entire season due to a torn Achilles tendon, and now the club is in the market for a backup big man.

Cunningham, a restricted free agent, is on the team's radar and the Grizzlies are preparing an offer sheet to present to him in an effort to build depth behind Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.

The club has also had broached the idea of trading for Marreese Speights (Philadelphia), but Cunningham appears to be the priority at this time.

Steve Novak

Novak didn't last long in Spurs camp this season and was cut loose by the team, but he's already got another club lining up for his services.

The sharpshooter is expected to sign a one-year, fully guaranteed deal with the New York Knicks if and when he passes through waivers unclaimed.

The veteran will help to space the floor in the second unit for the team, but he's unlikely to carve out any sort of impact role as a reserve.

Matt Barnes

Barnes was sidelined for a good portion of last season due to a knee injury, but he's going to play a much bigger role for the Lakers this year.

With the departure of Lamar Odom shifting Metta World Peace to a sixth man role, Barnes is expected to serve as the starting small forward.

There was some belief that Devin Ebanks could be a darkhorse to start at the position, but Mike Brown pretty much put that notion to bed and cemented Barnes' starting role.

Kris Humphries

Humphries has made more headlines during the offseason for his divorce from Kim Kardashian than contributions as a professional athlete, but hopefully that changes very shortly.

He established himself as a major force on the glass last season, but the power forward has found a somewhat surprisingly thin market for his services.

Last season was a breakout year for Humphries, so some teams may be hesitant to gamble on him considering he's likely to command a sizable annual salary.

The Nets remain in contact with him, but there's nothing imminent between the two sides.

Sean Williams

Remember Williams? He was the No. 17 overall selection out of Boston College by New Jersey back in 2007, but he didn't do much during his short tenure with the Nets.

After a stint with Maccabi Haifa (Israel) as well is in the NBDL, Williams will sign on with the Dallas Mavericks as the team hopes to secure a defensive-minded backup in the middle.

He's established himself as a shot-blocker around the rim, and he could turn out to be a nice value pick for a team that continues to add all sorts of depth before the season begins.

Baron Davis

Davis was officially introduced as the newest member of the Knicks on Monday, but nobody should be expecting to see him out on the court in the near future.

Despite the volatility in the reported time for his recovery, Davis conceded that his bad back will keep him sidelined for anywhere from four-to-eight weeks.

This wasn't a signing that was supposed to pay dividends immediately, and New York is likely more concerned with Davis getting healthy in order to help later in the season for a potential championship push.

Andrei Kirilenko

Kirilenko has been linked to the New Jersey Nets for a couple of weeks now, and the rumors don't appear likely to subside.

It was reported that Kirilenko was on his way to New Jersey to sign a multi-year deal with the Nets, but that was quickly shot down by his agent and a variety of other sources.

He holds serious appeal as a versatile forward who could definitely fill a need for the Nets, but only if his price tag isn't anywhere near what he was earning previously.

Arron Afflalo

Afflalo had to wait for some other pieces to fall into place for the Nuggets in order to negotiate his new contract, but it was well worth the wait.

The restricted free agent agreed to return to Denver for another five seasons and $43 million, which is just a tad above the contract that fellow RFA Marcus Thornton (four years, $33 million) from Sacramento.

Afflalo's stock really rose last season, and he should continue to develop and assert himself as a very talented shooting guard.

It's a fair price for both sides and a deal that should work out favorably on both ends now and into the future.

Dwight Howard

When is Howard going to get dealt? That's the Dwight-sized question on the minds of Magic fans.

Both the Nets and Lakers have been known to be in pursuit, and on Monday night, a Lakers radio host predicted that Howard would be dealt to the Nets as soon as Tuesday.

It doesn't make a lot of sense for Los Angeles' radio man to have the inside scoop on New Jersey's plans, but the source of information is the same one that correctly predicted both LeBron James and Chris Bosh to the Miami Heat in 2010.

There's no doubt that Howard would like to join Deron Williams and the Nets, but if the Magic accept a package built around Brook Lopez, it'll be one that the team regrets.