"Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith has given permission for Dwight Howard's representatives to discuss Howard's long-term future with three other teams, Howard's agent said.

Joel Glass, the Magic's chief spokesman, told the Orlando Sentinel that Smith first granted that permission on Friday night to the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Jersey Nets.

That permission, Glass, said, came after a meeting that an ESPN report said took place between Howard and Nets Owner Mikhail Prokhorov and Nets General Manager Billy King on Thursday night in Miami without the Magic's knowledge or permission.

Howard told reporters he did not meet with the Nets. And Nets General Manager Billy King denied meeting with Howard.

Dan Fegan, Howard's agent, told national news outlets and the Sentinel that he did nothing improper.

"I read reports today of a meeting between Dwight Howard, his representatives and the New Jersey Nets, which claimed, according to the story's 'anonymous sources' that such a meeting violated the NBA's tampering policies," Fegan said Friday in a statement that was reprinted on SI.com."