While much of the Dwight Howard trade speculation has focused on the New Jersey Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, the Houston Rockets recently emerged as a strong contender. They used their amnesty clause on Luis Scola to create cap room and reportedly increased their offer recently. Despite those moves, the Magic and Rockets are still not close to a deal, according to a report from NBA.com's David Aldridge.
Rockets, Magic Not Close On A Dwight Howard Trade
Not only is a trade not imminent, sources told Aldridge the Rockets and Magic aren’t even talking.
Talks between the two sides are "not active," one source said Friday.
"There's nothing happening," another source said.
The Magic are reported to be looking for a combination of cap relief, young players and future draft picks, and while Houston can offer all three, their offer may not be as sweet as some have speculated. Recent reports have the Rockets willing to take back three bad contracts from the Magic, give up as many as seven players (including their three recent first round picks) and give Orlando future picks. Sources told Aldridge the actual offer isn’t quite that good.
The Rockets, according to a league source briefed on the discussions, are willing to take one bad contract back from the Magic, not two or three, as has been speculated. And in return, Houston will give up one of the their three first-round picks in last month's Draft- Jeremy Lamb, Royce White or Terrence Jones -but only one.
The Rockets would be willing to send a future draft pick to Orlando -presumably the Lottery-protected first-rounder Houston received this week from Toronto for guard Kyle Lowry - and send a veteran player to the Magic.
And with that, the Dwight Howard trade drama will continue.
For more on the Houston Rockets and their pursuit of Dwight Howard, visit The Dream Shake and SB Nation Houston. For more on the Orlando Magic visit Orlando Pinstriped Post and SB Nation Tampa Bay.
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