With the clock ticking down to the trade deadline, Ken Berger reports that the "Magic are coming to grips with the reality that they will have to trade Dwight Howard ... and Howard's preferred team -- the Nets -- are emerging as the most likely trade partner."
All signs continue to point to Howard, 26, wanting to land in Brooklyn next season with Deron Williams. "I think he wants that big market," said a person apprised of Howard's plans. Teams inquiring about Howard in recent days have been told, yet again, that his No. 1 choice is the Nets, who will open a new arena in Brooklyn next season.
Similarly in a series of tweets, Chris Mannix reports that while he believes Howard wants a "LeBron moment in free agency, he's likely to wind up with the Nets and that Howard would prefer not gutting the team, "DH would rather take less [in free agency], make up the money in an Adidas deal, and keep Brook Lopez, Marshon Brooks, top-10 pick." Meanwhile, Sean Deveney of Sporting News writes the Magic are making one more round of calls to the Lakers in hopes of prying Andrew Bynum loose, but the Laker ownership remains enamored of their homegrown seven-footer whose numbers are not much worse than Howard's.
- Magic getting close to Dwight decision; Nets in lead - Ken Berger - CBS Sports
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Source: Magic want Lakers back in Dwight Howard mix - Sean Deveney - Sporting News