As predicted, Howard stuck by his trade demand and was adamant about being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers as soon as possible. If that deal couldn’t be done, Howard was open to the prospect of a deal sending him to the Brooklyn Nets in January. Another option was leaving the team via free agency after next season.
Needless to say, not much changed after the meeting as the same stance was reiterated by Howard and the Magic’s front office still has to figure out a way to trade the superstar center before he walks away from the team in free agency and leaves Orlando with nothing in return.
Obviously, the Magic don’t want Howard to walk without receiving players in return or at least a package filled with draft picks. With that being said, the team will almost certainly concentrate on getting a deal done in the next two months to avoid backlash from fans starting the season with Howard on the roster.
Reportedly, the Magic’s front office may be much closer to making a deal according to Sam Amico of FoxSportsOhio.com:
“Several of those sources told FOX Sports Ohio on Saturday they believe Howard could be traded by the end of next week.”
At this point in time, it’s difficult to believe anything that is reported about a potential Dwight Howard trade. With months of trade speculation and no movement, there’s no telling when Howard will be dealt. One day Howard is headed to Los Angeles and the next he’s on his way to the Houston Rockets. There’s no clear view of how all things will pan out before next season, but it appears that something must be done in order for the team to come away with assets in return.
The Lakers remain the most likely destination for Howard with Andrew Bynum being the best bargaining chip and Howard stating that he’d like to come to Los Angeles. Even though a trade to the Lakers seems to be the best option, anything can happen from here on out.