NBA

Howard to ask Magic for trade to Nets: report

FORCING WAYS TO NETS: Dwight Howard will ask the Magic today to trade him to the Nets, according to an ESPN.com report. (CSM /Landov)

All along, the Nets have looked at the power forward position as the need to fill first, though their primary target has, is and will be Magic center Dwight Howard. The feeling has been sign a big free agent, preferably Denver’s Nene or Dallas’ Tyson Chandler, then pursue Howard via trade.

Well, Howard himself may force the issue.

Howard is expected to ask the Magic to trade him to the Nets, who have been told they are the All-Star center’s preferred choice, according to a report early this morning on ESPN.com.

The Nets are believed to be ready to offer a package including center Brook Lopez and two first-round picks while taking back Hedo Turkoglu’s ugly 3-year, $34.8 million salary. But to get a player of Howard’s stature, there’s little the Nets would not be willing to do.

As NBA training camps start today and the Nets stage theirs in East Rutherford after a day filled with reports of hefty spending, the Nets must find some way to be relevant in the area, competitive in the East and good in Brooklyn next season, all of which are necessary to keep Deron Williams in place. Landing Howard answers every point.

“He’s a monster. He’s like a created player. He’s not real,” Williams said this week when discussing Howard whose acquisition would “convince” the All-Star point guard to stay a Net.

“I’ve talked to him a lot,” he said. “We’ve had some conversations. He knows I want to play with him. I don’t think there’s a player in the NBA who doesn’t want to play with Dwight Howard. I think he would love to play with me as well.”

According to the ESPN report, Howard has not yet informed the Magic of his intentions but might do so today by boycotting the start of training camp. Magic general manager Otis Smith said last week he would look at all options and would not necessarily rule out a trade. This week, Smith said Orlando wanted to keep Howard forever. Howard may be forcing his hand in an attempt to join Williams in Brooklyn.

Many believed that Howard and the Lakers seemed the eventual fit, with Los Angeles holding the Andrew Bynum card. An opposing executive who also sought one of the Nets’ targeted players said the Nets would “have a chance,” though possibly not as “front-runners” because “they can offer a good young center [Lopez] and draft picks” and that likely would be the best offer Orlando might get.

Now it seems the Nets are the apparent front-runners.

Earlier, Tyson Chandler vaulted over Nene in the arena of Nets’ affection. With the Dallas free agent center seemingly headed to Manhattan with the Knicks, the Nets intensified their pursuit of Nene.

Before the Howard bombshell report, the Nets may have chased Nene at inflated prices nearing the max (four years, $70 million).

After all, this was Nets nightmare material: the Knicks likely getting better — really better — defensively with the expected addition of center Tyson Chandler— and the Nets remaining the Nets. The bigs always were the focus. No one in the fan base really cares who plays small forward — but scratch Detroit’s Tayshaun Prince (stays with Pistons) and Dallas’ Caron Butler (to Clippers for far more than Nets would have spent). Josh Howard and Rasual Butler still could be in play.

Nets named Dr. Jeremy Bettle as their strength and conditioning coach to replace Rich Dalatri, who was with the team for 19 seasons in two tours. Bettle, a native of Leicester, England, comes from UC Santa Barbara where he was Director of Sports Performance.