by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni
Dwight Howard still wants to be traded, and he might get his wish afterall, of playing alongside Deron Williams (and now, Joe Johnson) in Brooklyn.
According to a published report, the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets are discussing a blockbuster trade for the big fella.
Per ESPN and the Star-Ledger:
The Nets and the Orlando Magic are discussing a trade that would send Howard to the Nets for Brook Lopez, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks and the Nets’ first-round picks in 2013, 2015 and 2017, sources said. Lopez and Humphries, who are both free agents, would go to Orlando in sign-and-trade deals.
With the Nets having traded for Atlanta’s Joe Johnson on Monday, such a trade would give them a potential big three players of Howard, Johnson and Deron Williams — presuming Williams re-signs with the Nets as a free agent. Lopez and Humphries are free agents, so would have to consent to a sign-and-trade. Lopez, a restricted free agent, enjoys Disney World, which is in Orlando, and is best friends with the Magic’s Ryan Anderson, who is also a restricted free agent. Humphries, who averaged a double-double for the Nets in each of the past two seasons, lives in Florida in the offseason.
A combination of Dwight Howard, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson would provide the Nets with one of the best trios in the NBA, and make for an electric debut in Brooklyn.
This would also come at an enormous cost — Howard, Johnson and Williams would eat up $58.8 million, with last season’s salary cap being set at $58.3 million.
