NBA Trade Talk: Dwight Howard to the Houston Rockets?

Before it was ended by injury, Dwight Howard's season was blighted by another thing - rampant speculation.

With the NBA season over, and the draft upcoming, the trade talk is back and Howard again finds himself in the middle of it.

The March 15 deadline passed with Howard electing to stay in Orlando, but don't bet on him remaining there this summer.

He is by far the Magic's best player, but in many ways Orlando would be well rid of a player who wants out and has dominated the headlines off the court as well as on it.

What they must do is secure the best trade possible. Talk of a swap for the Lakers Pau Gasol is just fanciful, and does not appear to be at all realistic.

No, more realistic although less glamorous, is a deal with the Houston Rockets, a team who unlike the Magic, did not make this year's play-offs.

The Rockets have the 14 and 16 picks in the draft, but are busy preparing a complex set of deals which would see them land Howard.

SBNation report that the Rockets want to trade both of those picks for top 10 picks, with the Sacremento Kings and the Toronto Raptors.

Then, they would take those pair of top 10 picks of the best college talent in the draft and offer them to Orlando for Dwight Howard.

Ambitious? Yes, but if they can pull it off, well done to them, and both the Magic and the Rockets would be winners.

With the draft scheduled for just two days time (June 28) negotiations will have to progress quickly.

Another free agent attracting interest is Deron Williams, who may still re-sing with the Brooklyn Nets, formerly the New Jersey Nets, and if he does, they themselves will look to try and attract Howard and team him up with Williams to make an exciting All-Star pairing.

It is going to be an exciting few days in the NBA, and finally we might just get the Dwight Howard situation resolved.

image: © Keith Allison

Dan Coombs

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Dan Coombs is a writer who is keen to embrace the internet revolution. He first started writing for us in June 2011 and commenced his new role as Sports Editor in February 2012.

As a trained journalist he has met famous faces from Mr T to Boris Johnson. He once featured in an England World Cup music video too, but it did not make the charts.

He grew up wanting to be a Formula 1 driver, but it looks like this dream has passed him by. Instead, he hopes you enjoy reading his writing on our site, as we seek to debate the day's sporting hot topics.