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aka Here's the whole article swipe:
>Dwight Howard trade options
Creating four deals that would make sense for Magic, trading partners
Updated: June 1, 2012, 10:16 AM ET
By Tom Haberstroh | ESPN Insider
How much is Dwight Howard worth?
We might find out soon enough if he's traded. I know what you're thinking: "Haven't we heard that for the past two years?" While that might be true, it seems more likely than ever that he'll be dealt. The Orlando Magic front office has cleaned house by handing pink slips to general manager Otis Smith and head coach Stan Van Gundy, and there's a lot of uncertainty in the organization. And another season of Howard's hokey-pokey commitment might be too much to swallow.
We know Howard's credentials. He's probably one of the five best players in the NBA who also just happens to be entering his prime years as a basketball commodity. When engaged (and he might not have been all last season), he's easily the best defensive big man in the league, patrolling the pick-and-roll game, protecting the rim and gobbling up every miss in sight.
So you're getting a perennial defensive player of the year candidate who also happens to average 20 points per game. Here's a list of centers who can offer you that combination: Dwight Howard. That's it. As long as he's happy (which seems to be of utmost importance to his employer), he could be one of the two or three most valuable assets in the league.
So who would be interested? Just about everybody. Who would actually have the pieces to make it work? Here are four destinations that make sense.
Los Angeles Lakers
The deal: Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol to Orlando for Howard, Hedo Turkoglu and Glen Davis
Here we have two desperate franchises with the contention clock ticking away. The window on Kobe Bryant being an elite player is closing soon, and the Lakers front office might feel the need to blow it up after two straight seasons of embarrassing exits in the playoffs. Going a combined 1-8 in the Western Conference semifinals these past two seasons just won't cut it.
Why would the Lakers give up both Bynum and Gasol? Because we might be headed for the most competitive bidding war in recent history, and they might not have any choice. The Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes would pale in comparison, considering the fact that Howard actually plays on two ends of the floor. There will be several teams in the hunt for Howard if he becomes available and the Lakers could have the most short-term and long-term talent to offer. The question is, does Howard want to play with Kobe?
Los Angeles Clippers
The deal: Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Mo Williams, Ryan Gomes and Eric Bledsoe to Orlando for Dwight Howard Hedo Turkoglu and J.J. Redick.
Now, this would be the real Lob City. And this would also infuriate their co-habitants of Staples Center, the Los Angeles Lakers. If Clippers decision-maker Neil Olshey could somehow turn Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon into Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, the executive of the year trophy should just be a bronze mini-sculpture of Olshey grinning on the phone.
It would also be quite a haul for the Magic. They get one of the top young big men in the league in Griffin, their point guard of the future in Bledsoe and some veteran pieces to fill out a playoff roster. Of course, this creates a glut at point guard, which could have been alleviated by the Magic using the amnesty provision on Jameer Nelson, but that already pushed that button on Gilbert Arenas.
Dallas Mavericks
The deal: Brook Lopez (signed), Shawn Marion, Rodrigue Beaubois, 2012 first-round pick, 2014 first for Howard and Davis
This is a tough one if Dallas doesn't want to part with Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavericks have always been tossed around as a possible destination for Howard, but unless they land a star free agent in a sign-and-trade, it's hard to see a possible deal. They have the cap space to land a big fish like Deron Williams, but in order to come up with enough assets to entice a deal, the Magic would want a star in return. Beaubois is promising, but a franchise player he is not. Lopez, if the Nets somehow don't match the offer, could be that guy to some.
The Mavericks could sign and deal a veteran like Kevin Garnett or Steve Nash, but it's unlikely that the Magic would want anything to do with players whose skills have an imminent expiration date. If this free-agent crop was as stacked as the summer of 2010, then the Mavericks could make a lot of sense. Right now, they just have to get super creative.
Houston Rockets
The deal: Kyle Lowry, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Chandler Parsons, 2012 first-round pick (from Knicks) for Howard and Turkoglu
Houston GM Daryl Morey might have lost some leverage when Lowry publically voiced his displeasure with coach Kevin McHale, but it makes it even more likely that he and not Goran Dragic will be the odd one out come next fall. Make no mistake about it: A healthy Lowry will be one of the top point guards in the league next season for his efforts on both ends of the floor. He might not be a household name, but he's the type of player GMs would covet, especially as he enters his prime.
Also working in the Rockets' favor is that they can take on Turkoglu's salary if they throw Scola and Martin (an expiring contract in 2012-13) into the deal. Rookie Parsons is already a league-average player, coming on hard in the second half of the season. It might not be Bledsoe, but Parsons is an NBA player. This haul would keep the Magic in the playoffs, while giving some long-term flexibility once Martin's contract comes off the books.
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