The Time is Now

The time has come for the Orlando Magic to trade their super-star center, Dwight Howard.  In fact they should have dealt him a long time ago.  The Magic should have moved Howard prior to the 2012 trade deadline this past season.  Instead they pushed for Howard to sign-on for one more year and now, all hell has broken loose.  

Stan Van Gundy has since been fired as well as their respected general manager Otis Smith.  It seemed as if Howard had gotten what he wanted with these firings.  

Reports had surfaced during this past season, that Howard and Van Gundy didn’t get along and Howard was tired of playing for his head coach.  

Then there was the awkward interview with Van Gundy telling reporters that he knew for certain that Howard had requested he be terminated.  Seconds later, the “big man” himself put his arm around his coach, having no clue of the accusations he had just told the media.  

The Magic could have avoided all of the drama if they would have just taken a page out of Denver’s playbook.  In February 2011, the Denver Nuggets fulfilled the wishes of their super-star forward, by trading Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks.  Denver received valuable role players in return; Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler have panned out nicely in a Nugget uniform since the deal went down. 

This past season the Nuggets were a competitive playoff contender, while Melo and the Knicks struggled and got a coach fired.  Denver was a respected opponent and the Knicks were kind of a joke for most of the ’11-’12 season.  The mega trade of 2011 appears to have worked out in Denver’s favor; at least early on it has. 

Denver is a similar market to Orlando.  The Nuggets have proven that life in a smaller market goes on without a diva super-star on the roster.  Denver didn’t allow Melo to walk away in free agency, but instead pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade that gave them key assets in return.  Orlando should have done the same and in fact they still can. 

The Magic need to move Howard sooner rather then later, but if they do trade him they better be smart about it.  A Howard deal should be loaded with future draft picks and solid role players in return.  If Orlando can swing a deal like Denver did in 2011, then they will have a much brighter future without Howard, then with him.