Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes that the Magic think that they've detected a change in tone coming out of Dwight Howard and it now appears they will wait until the last minute before deciding whether to trade Howard or continue coaxing him into staying.
Adrian Wojnarowski, in his first article on the Dwightmare in a while, reports that while the Magic wait on Dwight Howard, they're NOT talking with the Nets.
As John Schuhmann wrote yesterday, the end of the Dwightmare will depend far more on the Magic's long term future than Brook Lopez's short-term health. Fred Kerber thinks the same, that Lopez being out for three weeks is no where as important as the Magic decision on whether to trade Dwight Howard or try their best at keeping him around.
The Nets increasingly look like Dwight Howard's preferred landing spot, either now or in July. The Lakers seem out of it and the Mavericks seem ready to wait for free agency to land Deron Williams and Howard (reportedly in that order). Howard's agent is reportedly telling other teams to fuggedaboutit. He won't sign an extension with them. So would any team offer big assets to rent Howard?
Rick Bucher told Mike and Mike of ESPN Radio Monday that the Nets remain in the driver's seat for Dwight Howard and that big impediment to getting a deal done is not Otis Smith but "ownership", specifically Rich DeVos and CEO Alex Martins. Bucher also thinks that the Magic still believe they can convince Howard to stay.
Sam Amick tries his hand at deciphering the Dwight Howard comments (or lack thereof) over the past several days and thinks that the 6'11' center is more likely to stay in Orlando and could even exercise his $19.5 million player option and avoid being the meanie in Orlando.
An apparently distraught Dwight Howard told Orlando media that he has been deeply affected by the trade rumors flying around him, and admitted that in spite attempts to block it out, "it's been affecting me all season."
Shaun Powell, writing for NBA.com, thinks the time for a decision from Dwight Howard is running down, but also believes that the Magic may have played a weak hand as well as they could have. Sure, Howard must give the final word on whether he will stay or go, but by waiting on him, it's made its trade options more appealing, at least with the Nets.
Thursday was the day that the Magic were supposed to ask Dwight Howard where things stood, did he still want to leave and where else besides the Nets, Lakers and Mavericks did he want to be dealt. No one has said if the meeting took place or if it had, what happened, but Otis Smith gave Magic fans little hope when talking to Craig Sager of TNT.
Brian Schmitz, the Orlando Sentinel columnist, has long been an advocate of trading Dwight Howard...like yesterday. He had until the last couple of days written negatively about the prospect of the Magic obtaining Brook Lopez in exchange for Howard. Now, in tweets and a column, he's reconsidering.
