What next for Superman?
As the March 15 NBA Trade Deadline draws ever closer, will the game’s most dominant centre, Dwight Howard, sign a new contract or will the bright lights of a big city force Orlando to trade their franchise player?
After telling the Orlando Magic management to “Trade me or lose me” in late December, the list of teams he was willing to move to read as such; the New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers or the Dallas Mavericks, with New Jersey his first choice.
While it may not be an idealists’ view of why-to-be-traded, Howard’s decision will not be entirely down to basketballing reasons. In fact, it is looking less and less like basketball has anything to do with this trade as the days go by.
In Howard’s mind is a vision. A vision of himself as a brand. Like Michael Jordan before him, Howard’s aim is to become a dominant force not only in the NBA but in the global marketplace of sneakers, jerseys and anything else that brings in big bucks.
That vision starts in Brooklyn with the Nets. Owner of the Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, has a fortune estimated at around $18billion and innumerable contacts and fame to go along with it. Howard sees his influence as a key to expanding his brand internationally.
The icing on the cake though for Howard, a.k.a. Superman, is the Nets’ move to Brooklyn this off-season. With the Nets due to move into the state-of-the-art Barclays Centre, Howard would be the biggest name in the biggest city in the biggest market of all, New York.
How would this happen though?
General managers, journalists and fans across America have produced numerous trade possibilities to get Howard to the Nets and while some seem far-fetched, below is one that would be beneficial for both sides.
Nets Receive:
Dwight Howard
Hedo Turkoglu
Quentin Richardson
Magic Receives:
Brook Lopez
Anthony Morrow
2012, 2014 1st round picks
$3 million cash
The deal would allow the Nets to keep hold of their current All-Star, Deron Williams, forming a big-man little-man combination that would surely be a threat to any contenders.
For Orlando, while they would be losing one of the league’s greatest ever centres, they would be clearing almost $30 million from their payroll, adding a young centre with plenty of potential and the chance to rebuild their team sooner rather than later.
So far nothing solid has happened though. While talks have been held on a number of occasions between Orlando and the Nets, Lakers and Mavericks nothing concrete has come from the negotiations.
For now Superman mustn’t take flight. Even following the blatant “Trade me or lose me” request in December the Magic haven’t trembled. Instead, they have another option on the table. Don’t trade Howard to anyone.
With the ability to terminate his contract at the end of this season the Magic would be playing a delicate game. Risking losing Howard for nothing, in a repeat of the ‘96 Shaquille O’Neal saga, the Magic feel as though another star in the team and a major run in the Playoffs this year could be enough to convince Howard to sign a contract extension.
Recent talk has involved a move to bring Steve Nash to Orlando though Boton’s Rajon Rondo and Golden State’s Monta Ellis have also been mentioned in possible trade scenarios.
Whatever the Magic decides upon they must do it quick. Sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference standings with the trade deadline a mere fifteen days away, Orlando must either show Howard their commitment now to him or show him the door.
