ORLANDO, Fla. — He is the guest of honor, the star around whom this over-the-top event was planned. But the Orlando Magic, who have plastered Dwight Howard’s likeness everywhere during this All-Star weekend, have no clue where Howard will be playing in three weeks.
Apparently, neither does Howard.
So for one weekend, Howard has tried to bury all the trade rumors, speculation, guesswork about his future. Will he stay in Orlando? Will the Magic honor his trade request by the March 15 deadline? Will he become a free agent and bolt, the scenario favored by Nets officials who have rolled out the Brooklyn business opportunity-laden welcome mat?
When Magic officials privately confide they believe Howard isn’t sure what he wants to do, they may not be far off. Howard, the hometown hero, sounded a little stressed about it yesterday.
“A lot of people wouldn’t understand what I’m going through. Really, it’s been tough on me all year,” Howard said. “All of that stuff isn’t a point of discussion for me this week. I’ve tried to forget [it] this weekend and just have fun. This is just a great weekend for our city. So I’m trying to keep my focus on that.
“I’ve never lost any love for this city. I love this city and that has nothing to do with basketball decisions. … The guys here all understand I have a tough decision to make, and support me.”
Howard, whether he wants it or not, is the center of all speculation. He can be thankful for Jeremy Lin grabbing so much media attention the past 48 hours, otherwise he might have locked himself in a meat locker until everyone left.
“A little awkward, isn’t it?” asked Kobe Bryant, who knows something about trade requests and spotlights. “He just wants his team to be better. Players, sometimes they reach a certain level of frustration where they don’t feel like the needle’s being moved in the right direction. So I’m sure he’s a little frustrated.”
Magic officials are between a rock and a harder rock. Howard’s camp received permission to talk trade with the Nets, Mavericks and Lakers. There have long been whispers Howard does not want to follow Shaquille O’Neal’s legacy of leaving Orlando for Los Angeles, where O’Neal won three titles. The Mavs would need major roster reconstruction to sign Howard and, presumably, Nets stud Deron Williams as free agents. That leaves the Nets.
So as the March 15 trade deadline nears, the Magic need to know Howard’s intent. Orlando won’t accept a lopsided deal, and may just wait as the same offers could be had in a sign-and-trade. Howard has waffled all season, giving the Magic some hope. But it also gives concerns that others could sway him. Thus, they were ticked when the NBA teamed Howard with buddy Williams at a community event Friday. As one source said, “With all the players here, they chose [Williams]?”
With the deadline approaching, all here are focusing on the love being showered on Howard for today’s All-Star Game. Players want him as MVP.
“It would be great. The first thing is we have to get a win. It usually goes to the winning team,” LeBron James said. “So it would be great if we could get him a monster game and he could get it.”
“I’m sure he’s going to come out and try to get it, just like Kobe did in L.A. It’s going to happen here. Definitely going to throw the ball to the big fellow,” Williams said.
But Howard has all the stuff to get it on his own.
“Offensively, he’s so good. He’s a physical specimen. He demands the ball in the post. It’s hard to stop him,” Williams said. “He’s the most athletic 7-footer I’ve ever seen. He’s strong as an ox. He just dominates on both ends of the floor.”
And in the trade and contract attention here.