Dwight Howard re-thinking demand

k-money · Dec 12, 2011

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7345415/dwight-howard-rethinking-demand-trade-orlando-magic

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Orlando Magic are not thinking about a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers right now as much as using their playbook.

The Magic plan to try to handle Dwight Howard's recent trade demand in a similar fashion to how the Lakers dealt with Kobe Bryant's high-profile demand in 2007.

Orlando will field offers for their All-Star center but they also will take their time in an attempt to rebuild their relationship and improve the strength of their team.

As part of that strategy, sources told ESPN.com, the Magic currently do not plan to trade Howard.

New Magic CEO Alex Martins met with Howard when he arrived at Amway Center Monday morning. Afterward Howard sounded like he'd softened on the possibility of staying in Orlando as long as there are some changes.

“
I love this city. There is no place I'd rather be but Orlando. I just want to make sure we have the right things here so we can win a championship. I'm all about change.
”
-- Dwight Howard
"I love this city, there is no place I'd rather be but Orlando," Howard said. "I just want to make sure we have the right things here so we can win a championship. I'm all about change. If you're willing to change and you're willing to do what it takes to win then, you know, you got me."

One of the "changes" Howard wants, sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein, is the signing of guard Chauncey Billups.

Should Billups clear waivers Monday at 6 p.m., after being released Friday by the New York Knicks through the amnesty clause in the league's new labor agreement, sources say Howard will lobby Billups to spurn offers from the Miami Heat and sign with the Magic instead to give them a steady veteran hand.

One source familiar with Howard's thinking also said that seeing Dirk Nowitzki finally win a championship last season, playing for the only team he's ever known in Dallas, has Howard rethinking whether he should force his way out of town or try to stay and deliver a championship to the city of Orlando in similar fashion.

Martins, who took over at CEO just last week after the surprising resignation of Bob Vander Weide, is making a strong public stance that the franchise believes it can keep Howard and convince him to extend his contract. Howard has the option to become a free agent next summer, which created the leverage to force a trade.

Part of the Magic's plan is to continue to make moves to add talent to the roster. On Monday they completed a four-year, $25 million contract with guard Jason Richardson and finished a sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics to bring in Glen Davis in on a four-year, $26 million deal.

"I'm an optimist," Martins said. "I am confident that we can work with Dwight and convince him to stay here long-term."

On Friday the Magic announced they would allow Howard to speak with the Lakers, New Jersey Nets and Dallas Mavericks about a trade.

A day later Howard announced he'd indeed asked to be traded. Then on Sunday night he followed up with an explanation that his relationship with Magic general manager Otis Smith had eroded, in part, because Smith had not acquired players Howard had suggested over the last several years.

Smith was not at the meeting Monday morning with Howard but Martins said he had expected the two to speak on Monday afternoon. Howard also expressed frustration that Smith hadn't spoken to him in a week, since he'd officially made his trade request.

During the team's media day Monday afternoon, Howard laughed and chatted with Martins and several other team officials and then smiled and joked his way through his news conference, a reversal in mood from the previous three days.

"As of right now, I have on a Magic uniform," Howard said, touching the logo on his chest. "I'm with nobody else."
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Major · Dec 12, 2011

k-money said: ↑

Should Billups clear waivers Monday at 6 p.m., after being released Friday by the New York Knicks through the amnesty clause in the league's new labor agreement, sources say Howard will lobby Billups to spurn offers from the Miami Heat and sign with the Magic instead to give them a steady veteran hand.
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Umm, if the Magic want him, why not just put a bid instead of waiting for him to clear waivers?

arjun · Dec 12, 2011

Major said: ↑

Umm, if the Magic want him, why not just put a bid instead of waiting for him to clear waivers?
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umm lol, cuz they are over the cap

only teams that are not over the cap can put in a bid

Major · Dec 12, 2011

arjun said: ↑

umm lol, cuz they are over the cap

only teams that are not over the cap can put in a bid
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Interesting. I didn't realize bidders were limited to under the cap teams - that makes a lot more sense then.

JayZ750 · Dec 12, 2011

All I know is they can't go through the season with this hanging over their heads. Because it will be a distraction. If sometime during the season they flip a couple of scrubs and a 2nd round draft pick for an all-star (ala the Lakers with Pau Gasol), then that should convince Dwight, but the more likely scenario is it is an extra weight on the team until the trade deadline, and if not enough has been done at that point, hard to see Dwight wanting to stay next year.

ubigred · Dec 12, 2011

Just go team up with D-Will and call it a day.

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