Dwight Updates: Magic to reassess situation on March 1

[Teletopez]

Decision time for the Magic and Dwight Howard begins in earnest on March 1.

 

March 1 is the first day that players who signed free-agent contracts before this season can be traded by their new teams.

 

This means that nearly everyone in the league is in play, including some of the Magic’s current players, such as Jason Richardson and Big Baby Davis.

 

The Magic will be active on the trade market, trying to improve the club enough to convince Howard to re-sign. Or they will be able to make deals for Howard in a package that includes Magic players.

 

But at some point around that date, the Magic will need Howard to tell them what he wants to do or as an official said, “It’s where the rubber meets the road.”

 

The NBA trade deadline is March 15.

Orlando Sentinel

 

Elsewhere, Larry Coon reported a couple days ago that Dwight's camp warned L.A. that he would test free agency if traded there. Coon also reported that the Nets may be the only team that has been assured by Dwight's representatives that he would stay if traded there.

 

Here's a recent report from Alex Kennedy:

When Dwight Howard first demanded a trade in December, the Orlando Magic gave him permission to speak with the New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers. While Howard dodges all questions related to his future, it seems that the 26-year-old is zeroing in on the Nets.

 

The Lakers have already been informed that Howard won’t sign a long-term deal in Los Angeles, according to sources close to the situation. If the Lakers were to trade for Howard, he would opt out and test free agency. Howard’s interest in Los Angeles has always been overstated, mainly because he doesn’t want to follow in Shaquille O’Neal’s footsteps and he doesn’t want to go through another rebuilding process anytime soon. With Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol is their thirties, Howard would be reaching his prime just as his All-Star teammates are declining.

 

Multiple sources believe Howard will force his way to the Nets and he certainly has leverage, just like Carmelo Anthony had last year when he would only agree to sign an extension with the New York Knicks. Howard wants to team up with Deron Williams, loves the idea of playing in Brooklyn and knows that the front office will involve him in the decision-making process.

Alex Kennedy

Edited February 3, 2012 by Brooklyn Bound

[Dash]

The problem with a trade to the Nets is...what would New Jersey trade the Magic? Brook Lopez and picks? That would be a terrible haul for Orlando especially considering how Lopez's value has been going south (he could always pick it up though whenever he gets back).

 

If Dwight Howard is traded then I think he's going to the Lakers unless they get cold feet and if he somehow hits free agency, he's going to Dallas especially if Mark Cuban makes his huge gamble to clean house (renouncing rights to free agents and then use the amnesty clause on either Shawn Marion or Brendan Haywood) and is able to offer two max contracts.

 

The Nets are in the middle for me right now although I do not doubt that Dwight's main objective is to eventually end up playing with Deron Williams.

[Teletopez]

The problem with a trade to the Nets is...what would New Jersey trade the Magic? Brook Lopez and picks? That would be a terrible haul for Orlando especially considering how Lopez's value has been going south (he could always pick it up though whenever he gets back).

A lot depends on Brook Lopez's recovery schedule. He began running a few days ago. If he returns in the second half of this month as expected, he could have two to three weeks to possibly send his trade value back uphill. The general offer (I think) would be centered around Lopez, Brooks, and draft picks. That provides Orlando with cap relief as well. Then if Orlando wants another player from another team, Billy has worked a number of multi-team deals.

 

If Dwight Howard is traded then I think he's going to the Lakers unless they get cold feet and if he somehow hits free agency, he's going to Dallas especially if Mark Cuban makes his huge gamble to clean house (renouncing rights to free agents and then use the amnesty clause on either Shawn Marion or Brendan Haywood) and is able to offer two max contracts.

If Dwight hits free agency, I don't see the final destination being anywhere but Brooklyn, the main reason being that we'd have at least one first round pick (two if Houston makes the playoffs) in an excellent draft, and we hold on to Brooks (and hopefully Lopez as well).

[Teletopez]

Ken Berger says not to count out L.A. for Dwight:

• Note that I did not include the Lakers in the list of five organizations that could be headed for turmoil. According to a person directly involved in the Lakers' decision-making, speculation that GM Mitch Kupchak is on the way out is premature. Privately, Kupchak is said to be seething over the Lakers' decision to unceremoniously dismiss assistant GM Ronnie Lester and nearly all the scouts who worked under him. But there have been no indications that Kupchak, a shrewd architect of the Lakers' run of championship success, is angling for a departure.

 

• League sources maintain one of the biggest hangups in the Dwight Howard saga is that Howard has yet to fully commit to a destination. "Dwight can't make a decision," a person briefed on the situation said. "If he'd make a decision, he'd be out of there." Meanwhile, despite the Magic's recent struggles, GM Otis Smith has shown no inclination to soften his stance on trying to play out the season with Howard and persuade him to stay. But once Howard's hometown All-Star obligations are fulfilled later this month, rival executives believe the pressure will mount on Orlando to seriously engage teams in trade discussions leading up to the March 15 deadline.

 

• Despite assertions to the contrary, the Lakers remain firmly on Howard's list of three teams he's asked to be traded to, along with the Nets and Mavericks, multiple people familiar with the situation said. The Lakers' clear preference is to trade Pau Gasol in a Howard deal and not Andrew Bynum, who was elected as an All-Star starter for the first time this week. League sources say Nets officials have remained in constant communication with Deron Williams and are encouraged by the All-Star point guard's improved take on the franchise's outlook. Though everyone involved acknowledges the Nets' dilemma: If New Jersey is unable to land Howard, it will be difficult to persuade Williams to join the team in Brooklyn next season. One league front-office source described the Nets as being in wait-and-see mode. "If Orlando said to the Nets, 'Go get this player [to complete a Howard trade],' they'd go get that player," the person said.

Ken Berger

[Dash]

A lot depends on Brook Lopez's recovery schedule. He began running a few days ago. If he returns in the second half of this month as expected, he could have two to three weeks to possibly send his trade value back uphill. The general offer (I think) would be centered around Lopez, Brooks, and draft picks. That provides Orlando with cap relief as well. Then if Orlando wants another player from another team, Billy has worked a number of multi-team deals.

 

Yeah I could see a center like Brook being able to get his value up quick but he needs to play at a higher level for that to happen.

 

 

If Dwight hits free agency, I don't see the final destination being anywhere but Brooklyn, the main reason being that we'd have at least one first round pick (two if Houston makes the playoffs) in an excellent draft, and we hold on to Brooks (and hopefully Lopez as well).

 

I disagree about the draft. Its deep in terms of the top 7-8 prospects (Davis, Drummond, Barnes, Perry Jones, Gilchrist, Robinson, Sullinger and Jeremy Lamb) and the rest of the draft class looks pretty weak imo. The Nets do have the 6th pick right now though.

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