"Raise your hand if you've heard this before: The Nets view their chances to eventually land Dwight Howard as anywhere from "favorable" to "confident" to plain old "good."

All those who remember the Knicks' pursuit of Carmelo Anthony last season, put your hands down. But the Nets like where they are.

The Magic have tried everything to keep Howard, 26, but little suggests the franchise center is amenable to remaining in central Florida. The Orlando Sentinel reported that, despite Howard's recent endorsements of the Bulls and Celtics, his preferred landing spots remain the Nets, Lakers and Mavericks. There will be talk, but the Nets do not expect Howard to be dealt before All-Star weekend, Feb. 24-26 in Orlando."