The NBA trade deadline is scheduled for 3:00 PM EST on Thursday, which means trade speculation is only going to increase until the deadline passes.
After Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard recently said he was no longer in interested in going to the L.A. Lakers, it seems that Orlando is trying to get the Lakers back into the mix anyways.
According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, the Magic are trying to re-engage the Lakers in negotiations for Howard.
One thing the Magic are holding out for, a source told Sporting News, is the resurrection of talks with the Los Angeles Lakers. As the process has played out, it has become clear that the Magic are not going to get a better player in return for Howard than All-Star Lakers center Andrew Bynum.
Obviously Bynum would be the best possible player Orlando can acquire for Howard, and the team may be anxious to move him before the deadline since he has the option to leave at the end of the season via free agency, leaving Orlando with nothing.
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Still, don’t expect the Lakers to jump back into trade talks for Howard, especially if he won’t commit to signing an extension with the team.
With the Lakers focusing on adding a point guard to the mix right now, Howard is not their primary goal at the deadline.