At times it might seem bleak, but when the time comes for the Orlando Magic to unload star center Dwight Howard, the only logical place for him to go is to the New Jersey Nets.
For Howard, it’s a franchise full of young talent headed in the right direction, Brooklyn. The mecca of basketball is the ideal spot for anyone looking to really leave their mark. The opportunity for Dwight Howard to play basketball in New York, leading his team alongside superstar point guard Deron Williams, has to have the All-Star center licking his chops.
For the Magic, it’s a guaranteed lottery pick, budding young talent of their choosing and a potential stud player in Brook Lopez, if they like what they see when he returns from injury, all in return for a guy who cannot wait to get out of dodge.
The move is something that would enable the Magic to add pieces that would be able to produce in just a few short seasons, while Howard is free from his declining tenure in Orlando with a positive look towards making NBA history with basketball in Brooklyn.
Unfortunately, such a move appears to hinge on Brook Lopez and what he can give to the Magic. How Lopez’s foot impacts him in the coming weeks could decide whether or not the Nets land their coveted center, or whether they gain nothing and lose everything with Deron Williams likely to abandon the Nets if they cannot add Howard.
Or maybe not.
The Orlando Magic, despite the possibility of losing out on adding talent and draft picks in exchange for an almost certainly departing Howard, do not like the idea of trading their star center.
With Lopez’s future uncertain, this might be the most beneficial thing the Nets have going for them. With other competitors unable to give even what the Nets can without Lopez in the deal, the Magic might not let Howard go by the March 15th trade deadline.
If that happens, the Nets might turn out to be the biggest winners in the Dwight Howard race after all, enjoying an opportunity to have their cake and eat it too if they can sign both Howard and Deron Williams in the offseason.
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