Another day in the ever changing world of Dwight Howard trade rumors.
Today the news is breaking great for anybody not named the Lakers and Nets who were both hoping to trade for the All Star before the season started.
The Magic sending out a league wide memo, we are not taking offers for Dwight Howard.
The Magic didthe right thing because they understand two things.
1-In order to keep Dwight Howard long term they need to win big this year, possibly the championship.
2-In order to win like that, they need calm waters. Trade rumors surrounding your superstar are a recipe for disaster.
So, Orlando is going to stand pat, and for now that is great for the Mavericks and here’s why.
At this point, this whole deal can break one of four ways,and some of those are still in play because he’s still in Orlando.
1-Howard and magic win title, Dwight stays.
2-Ideal scenario. Howard plays out season and leaves. Dallas with big money under the cap makes a play to bring him and Deron Williams to DFW.
3-Second ideal. Howard traded to Lakers mid season. Your biggest rival to the Western throne is bolstered, but Deron is still a pending free agent with no 7 foot Hall of Fame reason to stay in Jersey.
4-Disaster scenario. Nets finally coax enough teams to enter a wacky three or four team trade, Howard ends up in New Jersey where he and Deron Williams both sign extensions and duel with the Knicks and Heat in an Eastern Conference super power era. Sounds like great T.V. for me but I’m a Portland fan which basically stands for impartial observor.
What does all of this mean for you? Well I think you should root hard for the Magic this season. You need them to be in first place at the trade deadline. Or close. Convinced that they can’t give up Howard because even if they lose him at least they get one more shot at a ring.
At this point, The overall most likely scenario is that the Magic are in fourth or fifth, and Howard is traded shortly before the deadline.
In that scenario you are the mercy of what deal New Jersey finds more satisfying. Andrew Bynum or Brook Lopez as the center piece? Bynum is more talented but a lot more injured.
This story already has a life of it’s own. Since Friday…Howard was reportedly…
-requesting a trade to New Jersey Friday morning.
-not requesting Friday night.
-the Lakers were going hard at him Friday.
-then this morning the Nets were back in “serious” negotiations.
-and today the Magic told everybody to give it a rest, for now.
Something tells me it won’t be two weeks before I’m blogging about Howard trade rumors again.
