And so it begins.
Trade rumors involving Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard have been prevalent the past week, but now fellow NBA players are getting involved in the talks.
Los Angeles Lakers small forward Matt Barnes, a Magic wing player in 2009-10, told Land O’ Lakers on Friday that Howard told him he wants to be in Los Angeles.
"You know, I've been hearing [rumors about] Dwight," Barnes said. "I've been hearing [rumors about] Baron [Davis in the event of getting amnestied]. I've been hearing stuff a lot lately. I've talked to both of those guys and they wanna be here, so we'll see what happens.”
Barnes’ comments will likely be the first of many players around the league that talk about Howard’s plans. That’s because Howard has probably talked about possibly playing in other cities and that he hasn’t been clear about his intentions with his current franchise.
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel wrote on Friday that Magic GM Otis Smith hadn’t talked Dan Fegan, Howard and Jason Richardson’s agent.
Smith insisted that wasn’t anything to read in to.
With other teams circling around Howard, licking their lips as they await Howard to jump ship, the Magic could become the aggressors themselves when it comes to keeping the franchise player, writes Robbins.
Often portrayed as prey nationally, the Magic themselves could attempt to take on the role of predators — if they receive the right message from Howard,” Robins wrote on Friday. “Smith would make a trade offer to the New Orleans Hornets for Chris Paul or to the New Jersey Nets for Deron Williams, but Smith likely would have to hear some assurances from Howard first.”
While we’re discussing Paul, here’s some Magic related info about the New Orleans point guard. Ryan Totka launched a campaign this weekend for Otis Smith to bring in Paul. Totka started StayDwight.com in an attempt to try to persuade Howard to remain on Orlando.
With players talking about Howard and Howard’s people not talking with Smith, the pressure is beginning to fall on Smith’s shoulder to make a move that will keep Howard with the team.
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