The Dwight Howard Dilemma

It goes without saying that Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic is the best Center is basketball right now (averaging 20 points and 15 boards a game this year) and it is pretty much impossible to think of a better defensive presence in the league (especially considering Dwight has been named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in each of the past 3 seasons). He is a premiere big who, at the age of 26, is in the prime of his career. Howard's contact with Orlando, with whom he has played all 7 seasons of his career, is up at the end of this season and it is becoming ever more clear that the Magic will not be able to re-sign him barring the team making some kind of magical run to the NBA Finals (which ain't happening). The question is, where will he end up?

There was a tremendous amount of trade speculation during the few short weeks in December when the NBA offseason took place because of the lockout. Howard was tied to a number of teams in search of his services and a deal seemed imminent. However this turned out not to be the case and Howard stayed put in Orlando, backing off trade demands he had made during the summer and fall. As we approach the March 15 trade deadline Howard's name has once agin become the center (pun absolutely intended) of attention once again. The question of course is where he will go and in my mind there is only one answer: The soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets. Furthermore I am convinced that Howard will not be traded this season and will simply sign with the Nets this upcoming summer.

Not trading Dwight Howard will benefit all parties involved. Obviously the Nets NEED Dwight Howard as they will be moving into their beautiful new Brooklyn stadium next year and have to sell tickets (would you buy tickets to see this roster play?).

The Nets acquired All-Star PG Deron Williams from the Jazz last season and need to pair him with a stud big-man to become a threat in the East. However trading for Howard at this point in the season just doesn't make sense. Howard has already publicly said that he wants to play for the Nets next year and the team has enough money to sign him to a max deal. Also at 11-25 the Nets have no chance of making the playoffs with or without Howard so what's the point of giving up all the other talent on your team to get him? Guys like Jordan Farmar and Brook Lopez aren't stars but will be good role players surrounding Williams and Howard and the Nets should not do what the Knicks did last year in acquiring Carmelo Anthony (they gave up all their talent except for Amar'e Stoudemire and struggled to finish the season before getting swept in the first round, they then started this year 8-15 before that Jeremy Lin fellow showed up). Obviously it's in both Howard an the Nets' best interest to wait until the offseason but you might be surprised to learn that it may very well also be better for the Magic to let Dwight Howard walk.

This seems counterintuitive to let their star walk away for free but if you think about it what can the Nets offer the Magic that will really improve their team besides a first round pick or two? Getting a bunch of role players with no star for them to orbit won't make them much better if at all and I believe that talent improvement would be greatly outweighed but the financial commitment (something like $30 Million in cap space) the Magic would have to make to those new players. Orlando will be in a better situation if they if let Dwight go because they will then have the freedom to sign the free agent talent of their choosing. Besides superstars what is the best asset you can have in the NBA besides cap space?

Now of course another team could swoop in with a great offer and completely change the landscape if say the Lakers package Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol (or both) with a few draft picks. There is a solid possibility of that happening but the Lakers have to be certain they can re-sign Howard after the season.