There's anger in Orlando, anticipation in New Jersey --and Brooklyn-- and confusion just about everywhere else (why the Nets?) as the Magic's options narrow. The Magic and their fans now feel they've been played by Dwight Howard and his powerful agent, Dan Fegan, while Nets fans are divided about whether they want Howard now or in July.

As Brian Schmitz, the long time Magic writer wrote Tuesday night, some in Orlando believe that while Howard plays for the Magic, he works for the Nets. The question now is what do Magic ownership and management do. They essentially have three choices: trade him to the Nets, which by now everyone knows is his first and increasingly only choice; do nothing and hope for the best come July, or make a stunning, last minute bolt from the blue trade with a team willing to "rent" him ... teams like the Lakers, Knicks or whatever dark horse emerges.

Two veteran Nets writers, Dave D'Alessandro and Fred Kerber write that the key player in all of this, beyond Howard, is Fegan. D'Alessandro writes "Nothing has changed since Dan Fegan decided he really needs a client in Brooklyn, or since Adidas decided it needs a poster boy in the New York market." And Kerber quotes the every-present "league source" this way: "If he wants Brooklyn, he’ll be in Brooklyn, and he wants Brooklyn."

• For Dwight Howard, it's Nets or bust as trade deadline draws near - Dave D'Alessandro - Star-Ledger
• Nets patient on Howard - Fred Kerber - New York Post
• NY Knicks should trade Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler to Orlando Magic - Mitch Lawrence - New York Daily News
• Carmelo Anthony trade makes sense for NY Knicks in wallet - Frank Isola - New York Daily News
  
• Dwight Howard saga reaches low point - Zach Lowe - Sports Illustrated
• Is Dwight Howard's stunning about-face real? - Brian Schmitz - Orlando Sentinel
• Magic getting close to Dwight decision - Ken Berger - CBS Sports
• Dwight Howard says he wants to finish the season with Orlando Magic - Michael Wallace - ESPN
• Dwight Howard New Jersey Nets t-shirt was briefly available in NBA’s online store - Kurt Helin - NBC Sports