NBA Trade Rumors: Why Dwight Howard Won’t Land With Nets

No, that’s not a fact, but it’s well on its way to becoming one. After all the hoopla surrounding the big man, all the demands that were rescinded only to resurface, expect Howard to land with the Los Angeles Lakers or a dark horse organization. Expect him to land anywhere but Brooklyn, actually.

Why?

Because the Nets are on the verge of coming to terms with an onerous contract the Orlando Magic aren’t likely to jump at the chance of acquiring.

From Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports:

Nets president Billy King and Lopez’s agent, Arn Tellem, are finalizing the length of the deal – four years for $58 million, or five years for $78 million – and ironing out protections on the back end to account for a right foot that Lopez broke twice in the past year, sources said.

Lopez is a key part of any potential deal the Nets pull with the Magic, yet is Orlando prepared to commit as much as $78 million to the seven-footer?

Absolutely not, because if it held Lopez in that high of a regard, this deal would have been done already.

But it isn’t, and the Magic are looking for other partners to satisfy their return requirements for Howard.

Let’s look past the obvious fact that if Lopez signs with the Nets outright, he cannot be traded to December. That’s why this potential deal should be so disconcerting to Brooklyn fans. If this was a salary Orlando wanted to pay Lopez, sign-and-trade talks would still be going strong.

And yet, once again, they’re not.

Perhaps the Magic simply aren’t enticed by what the Nets have to offer, even if they bring a third and fourth team into the fold. Or perhaps general manager Rob Hennigan wants to relish in the reality that he sent Howard anywhere but his preferred destination. Maybe Lopez’s “potential new deal” is a negotiating ploy by the Nets, who are hoping that the prospect of allowing this Dwightmare to continue will force the Magic into action.

Whatever this recent turn of events actually stands for doesn’t particularly matter, though. Lopez’s contract negotiations, albeit necessary, kill the potential for a Howard deal in more ways than one.

So as the NBA and its fans pillage through the wreckage that has become Dwight Howard-related rumors, they’d be wise to accept at least one notion–that Howard will not be joining the Nets.

Unless, of course, Orlando is keen on the idea of prolonging this charade any further.

For our sake, though, let’s hope it’s not the latter.