All along, the Nets have exuded confidence that somehow they would land Dwight Howard. All along, they believed he would remain in Orlando past the trading deadline, but then the lure of Brooklyn and Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s global platform would land the biggest prize.
And now with the NBA’s trading deadline looming Thursday, the Nets are sticking with their story. And more it seems like the smart move.
Meanwhile in Orlando Tuesday night, Howard sent more of the same mixed signals he has sent all season.
“I told those guys [Magic brass] what I’ve been telling them for the past two or three weeks — that I want to finish the season here,” Howard told reporters, claiming how wonderful life could be in Orlando, even with the current cast.
And so the Magic heard what they desperately want to hear but if they swallow it, that’s another story.
“I still believe there is a big piece of him that wants to be here,” Magic CEO Alex Martins said.
“I’m still hopeful that we’ll keep him,” owner Rich DeVos told the Orlando Sentinel.
So while the Magic scramble in last-ditch efforts to believe Howard, to appease him and convince him to stay (though virtually everyone else believes that is futile), the Nets explore all options to strengthen themselves for their move to Brooklyn. At 14-29 with 4 ¹/₂ games and four teams separating them from the eighth and final playoff spot, the Nets seem intent on more salary-cap flexibility.
The summer, barring a reversal in Orlando, is when the Nets hope to secure Howard. The Nets and Brooklyn provide him with all he requires. He will be the headline act in a big market. He will have lucrative business opportunities. He will have the perfect big-name complement in Deron Williams. Some sources yesterday claimed he wants the free-agent wine-and-dine process, but has eyes on Brooklyn.
“If he wants Brooklyn, he’ll be in Brooklyn,” one league source claimed. “And he wants Brooklyn.”
Howard likely will get one other thing that really appeals to him and his been a sticking point in Orlando: input on personnel.
Before the season began, Howard threw Magic general manager Otis Smith under an 18-wheeler because he didn’t have enough input. And remember how Williams repeatedly joked he is an “assistant GM.” It’s not really a joke. Williams is consulted. Williams and Howard are buddies. Connect the dots.
The Magic have been ripped in half with one side (coach Stan Van Gundy and GM Smith) realizing the logic and necessity of trading him now and the other faction (Martins and DeVos) hoping Howard can be convinced to stay. There have been so many conflicting moments from Howard: he loves Orlando, he wants a trade.
The Magic promise this and that — “They are doing everything possible to keep him,” one rival team executive stressed yesterday, “and it might not matter.”Howard has no desire for New Jersey but Brooklyn is another issue. If Orlando holds him past the trading deadline, a sign and trade is silly for him. Why allow the team he is joining to be gutted? That way the Nets get Howard, keep all their assets.
Still, the Nets, home to Toronto tonight, are “exploring other options” in Howard stays put beyond tomorrow.
One of those options is trying to acquire Boris Diaw’s expiring contract from Charlotte , adding him to a list of six guys who are up after this season. The Nets, sources said confirming a Charlotte Observer story, would surrender Houston’s lottery-protected first-rounder plus Jordan Farmar and Johan Petro. Charlotte wanted Anthony Morrow and was rebuffed. But that is just one of many possibilities.
fred.kerber@nypost.com