Dwight Howard News & Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

February 9

ESPN.com

"Magic owner Richard DeVos Sr. says he wants disgruntled center Dwight Howard to stay in Orlando. "I don't want to trade him," the 85-year-old DeVos said of Howard, who is eligible to become a free agent at the end of the season. DeVos unexpectedly addressed the media in the Magic locker room about an hour before Wednesday's game against the Miami Heat. While players such as Jason Richardson and Daniel Orton went out of their way to greet DeVos, Howard did not acknowledge the wheelchair-bound owner upon entering the locker room or during DeVos' media session."

Magic's Dwight Howard All-Star Game's leading vote-getter

February 3

Orlando Sentinel

"The NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 26 in Orlando might as well be known as "Dwight Night." As expected. Magic center Dwight Howard emerged Thursday as the leading vote-getter in the final returns for the game to be staged on his home court, the Amway Center. The league announced that Howard led the league in number of ballots, garnering 1,600,390 million votes. He set an All-Star Game record by earning 3,151,181 votes in 2008-09."

Nets have Dwight stuff to deal for Howard

February 3

New York Post

"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,"

Chicago? Maybe God will direct Dwight to stay in Orlando

February 1

Orlando Sentinel

columnist Mike Bianchi

"Dear God: Sorry to bother you because I know you're busy dealing with important issues like world hunger, peace in the Middle East and acquiring Tebow some better receivers (LOL!), but something has been brought to our attention here in Orlando. The Magic's franchise center Dwight Howard said the other day that he might go play in Chicago with Derrick Rose "if God wanted that to happen." I know NBA Commissioner David Stern sometimes acts like God, but I'm assuming Dwight is talking about you, the real God. I have to admit, though, I'm going against my longstanding position by even writing you this letter. I have never believed you would get involved in the triviality of sports or play"

Hold on, Bulls fans . . . Dwight's preferred trade list remains the same

February 1

Orlando Sentinel

"Fans of the Chicago Bulls probably rejoiced when Dwight Howard indicated to the Chicago Tribune that he would be open to playing on the same team as reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose. "If I could play with Derrick right now and God wanted that to happen, it will happen," Howard said. "It has nothing to do with me not wanting to play with Derrick Rose. I love him. That's my brother.'' But not so fast, Bulls fans. Magic General Manager Otis Smith told the Orlando Sentinel that Howard's camp has not indicated to the Magic that the superstar center has expanded his list of preferred trade destinations beyond his original three teams: the New Jersey Nets, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas"

Dwight Howard lost pass to rip teammates

January 31

Yahoo! Sports

columnist Adrian Wojnarowski

"Humiliation hung over these Orlando Magic like an anvil, and somehow Dwight Howard still didn't understand these are the moments everyone judges him. On the bench in the fourth quarter, the Magic getting blown out and that arena Kiss Cam had stopped on Howard and J.J. Redick. Just ignore it, superstar. Just sit sullen, sit with stature, and play the part of the forlorn franchise star. Only, Howard's eyes were on the video board, his mouth curling into a smile, a laugh, and finally he made an exaggerated lean to the right, separating himself and a teammate for the camera. No kisses here, people. No kidding. Fitting scene, a perfect punctuation to the sudden freefall of a franchise. Laugh"

Howard mum on possibly joining Sixers

January 31

CSN Philly

"When the biggest free agent to be shows up in your arena after he had requested a trade and blew up at his teammates after a loss, the question is inevitable… So Dwight, would you like to play for the 76ers? "This is a great team. They're playing great basketball right now. For myself, it's a blessing to be wanted by a lot of teams and cities. I feel honored. Right now, the only thing I can control is what I do with my team," Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard said diplomatically. "The Sixers do look great. They've got some great fans behind them. But my job is to my team. And I'm going to continue to lead my team no matter what.""

Rose on Magic's Howard: 'Who wouldn't want to play with him?'

January 31

Chicago Tribune

"Dwight Howard told the Tribune's Vaughn McClure he "loves" Derrick Rose and "that's my brother." Rose, who has been knocked out of two games by Howard, reacted similarly to when he talks about any opposing player. "Me and Dwight definitely have a relationship, especially because of Adidas," Rose said. "I know that our market and the city speaks for itself if someone was interested to come to the Bulls. Dwight is a great player. Who wouldn't want to play with him? You never know what's going to happen.""

Dwight Howard open to being a Bull

January 30

ESPN.com

"Earlier this month Dwight Howard wouldn't say whether he would be interested in playing for the Chicago Bulls. He's open to the idea now. Just days after ripping his Orlando Magic teammates for their effort in a blowout loss to the New Orleans Hornets, Howard added MVP Derrick Rose's Bulls to his list of potential destinations. "If I could play with Derrick right now and God wanted that to happen, it will happen," Howard told the Chicago Tribune. "It has nothing to do with me not wanting to play with Derrick Rose. I love him. That's my brother." Media reports earlier this season speculated that adidas, which both Howard and Rose represent, would not want two of their stars in the same"

Dwight Howard to Hub?

January 26

Boston Herald

columnist Steve Bulpett

"There is no need to update Dwight Howard's "list." He hasn't developed an obsessive need for fresh clam chowder. In fact, we find this whole circus to be rather distasteful. The Magic center can opt out and become a free agent this summer, and until then or such time as Orlando trades him to an attractive city of his choosing, the success of his team will be only a sidebar to the impending Dwight flight. All indications from sources close to Howard are that, while his list of preferred teams also included the Mavericks, he'd love to wind up in a star center like Los Angeles or New York, which would leave out bucolic Boston. But his repeated reverence for the Celtics fairly begged the"

Howard tips hat to C's after ugly loss

January 24

Boston Herald

"With five players injured and out, it was expected the Celtics [team stats] would have to play everyone. But how many were expecting Gino to get into last night's game against the mighty Magic? There was, according to Orlando colossus Dwight Howard, one overriding reason for the Celtics' 87-56 victory. "They went back to playing Boston basketball tonight," said Howard, who "struggled" to 18 points and 14 rebounds, missing his last nine shots and going 4-of-15 from the floor. "Everybody touched the ball, they ran, they played aggressive on both ends of the floor. . . . They did a good job tonight. We've just got to come back. We'll see those guys again Thursday.""

Jameer Nelson: Howard trade saga affected me

January 22

Orlando Sentinel

"Magic PG Jameer Nelson admitted that C Dwight Howard's mention of playing with other point guards affected him. A slumping Nelson said Howard's talking about playing with Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets and Chris Paul of the L.A. Lakers, made him press some this season. "Maybe a little bit of that," he said after playing one of his better games of the season Friday night, scoring 17 points and adding nine assists in the Magic's 92-80 win against the Lakers. Magic GM Otis Smith said earlier in the day that he thought part of Nelson's poor play was because Howard "indirectly threw him under the bus." "I'm here to play basketball and I can't worry about what anybody says. I'm here"

Dwight Howard makes a convincing case to Lakers

January 21

Los Angeles Times

columnist Bill Plaschke

"The club official had ended the group interview, but I walked alongside Dwight Howard as he left the Orlando Magic locker room late Friday night and introduced myself as a reporter from Los Angeles. He stopped. He suddenly had time for one more question. "How does it feel to know that folks in my town are hoping they can watch you do this every night?" I said. "I understand," he said, smiling down, his eyes twinkling through his horn-rimmed glasses. "And I'm really pleased to meet you." Thus ended a glorious open house for basketball's most valuable — and available — property, Howard purposely stopping to chat with a guy from Los Angeles after spending three hours dominating a bunch of"

Dwight Howard fires back at Shaquille O'Neal

January 21

Orlando Sentinel

"The relationship between Dwight Howard and Shaquille O'Neal has run hot-and-cold for years, but it seems like they have reached a deep freeze, at least from Howard's perspective. Howard sounds ticked-off at O'Neal after O'Neal recently said on TNT, "The best big man in the game is Andrew Bynum." Howard fired back at O'Neal on Friday, saying that O'Neal is just upset that Howard has his old nickname. "He's mad about 'Superman,' " Howard told reporters about eight hours before his Orlando Magic faced the Los Angeles Lakers at Amway Center. "I didn't know he made it up. I didn't know Superman came from Shaquille O'Neal." Later, Howard added: "I would suggest he'd just sit down and get on with"

Report: Bryant lets Howard know who's team it is

January 20

CBSSports.com

"There are various rules and regulations that prohibit NBA teams and players from talking to one another in regards to recruiting for a trade. But when that player has been given permission to talk to other teams, that all goes out the window. Such is the case with Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant, who have apparently become like teenage girls gabbing on the phone with Howard weighing where he wants to be traded to, if at all. Unfortuntely for Lakers fans, it doesn't sound like Bryant's doing a great job as a pitch man. From the Los Angeles Times: Kobe Bryant has had at least one in-depth phone conversation with Howard recently, even discussing how Howard might fit in with the Lakers'"

Friday's Magic-Lakers matchup could pit Orlando's center of the present against its center of the future

January 20

Orlando Sentinel

"The Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard must make momentous choices about their futures in the weeks ahead. Those decisions, whatever they turn out to be, could affect Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum. That is what makes Friday's Magic-Lakers matchup at Amway Center so intriguing. The Magic's current center could be facing the Magic's center of the future. To understand how Bynum compares to Howard, the Orlando Sentinel asked an executive for an NBA team, ESPN analyst Jon Barry and NBA TV analyst Dennis Scott to evaluate Bynum. Their conclusions are similar: Although Bynum is a very good player who is improving, he simply is not on Howard's level. "If you took Bynum and put him on the"

Dwight Howard remains top All-Star vote-getter

January 20

Orlando Sentinel

"Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard continues to lead the NBA in All-Star balloting in the second wave of returns, with more than 1.1 millions votes, the league announced Thursday. Howard, who leads the NBA in rebounding, led after the first returns and now has received 1,161,797 votes for the Feb. 26 All-Star Game set for Orlando's Amway Center. Kobe Bryant is right behind Howard in overall voting. Bryant's 1,110,379 votes leads Western Conference guards, while the L.A. Clippers' Chris Paul is second at 835,026). Kevin Durant leads the forwards in the West with 973,152, followed by Blake Griffin of the Clippers with 619,913 votes."

Bynum gets big test tonight with Magic center Howard

January 20

L.A. Daily News

"Battle of the Bigs? Andrew Bynum was matched against the Miami Heat's Joel Anthony on Thursday night, which was a big mismatch in Bynum's favor. After all, Bynum stands 7-foot and weighs 285 and Anthony is relatively pint-sized at 6-9, 245. The bigger test will be tonight when Bynum faces Orlando's Dwight Howard for the only time this season, the player he admires more than any other NBA center and the man some pundits around the league believe he could be traded for sooner or later."

Magic win 5th straight behind big nights from Dwight Howard, Von Wafer

January 18

Orlando Sentinel

"The Orlando Magic looked tired Tuesday night. But Dwight Howard, Von Wafer and Glen Davis provided a spark. Playing their second game in as many nights, and with another one looming Wednesday, the Magic overcame a listless start and eked out a ragged 96-89 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats at Amway Center. It wasn't pretty, but it still counts as Orlando's fifth consecutive win. "It's not like any other season where we get chances to get breaks and rest here and there," said Howard, who scored 25 points and collected 17 rebounds, both game highs."

Dwight Howard indicates Clippers are not on his list of preferred destinations

January 18

Orlando Sentinel

"Dwight Howard dismissed a report that he has placed the Los Angeles Clippers onto his list of preferred destinations. After the Orlando Magic defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 96-89 Tuesday night, Howard was asked whether he now has interest in joining the Clippers. Howard said no. The website SheridanHoops, citing an unnamed source, has reported that Howard has expanded his list of preferred destinations to include the Clippers. Magic General Manager Otis Smith said Howard's camp has not informed him that the superstar center has expanded his list of preferred destinations beyond the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Jersey Nets. Smith also said the Magic also have not"

Anthony's 33 points not enough as NY Knicks fall to Howard and Orlando Magic, 102-93

January 17

New York Daily News

"Amar'e Stoudemire blamed himself for the Knicks' latest calamity. It was a nice gesture but not exactly an accurate one. Sure, foul trouble cut into Stoudemire's minutes and scoring chances in Orlando's 102-93 matinee victory at the Garden Monday. But that doesn't explain how once Stoudemire finally found his rhythm and the Knicks had a lead, he didn't attempt a single shot over the last seven minutes. "I was ready to rock," Stoudemire said. "I was ready to go. It was time for me to really dominate and that's what I started to do.""

Knicks' Anthony advises Howard: Do what's best for you

January 17

New York Post

"No one understands the situation in which Dwight Howard finds himself better than Carmelo Anthony. After Anthony spent several months last season at the center of the NBA's rumor mill while the Knicks and Nets fought to acquire him from the Nuggets, he reached out to Howard recently to try to help the Magic star navigate through what is sure to be a wild two months leading up to the March 15 trade deadline. "We talked," Howard said after Orlando beat the Knicks, 102-93, in yesterday's Martin Luther King Day matinee at the Garden. "It actually was great to hear from him."

Report: The Clippers are now on Dwight Howard's wish list

January 17

Los Angeles Times

"Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, a five-time NBA All-Star, reportedly has added another team to his very short list of franchises for which he would like to play. The Clippers. According to sheridanhoops.com, which cited an unnamed source, Howard is "intrigued" by the Clippers and has been watching "a lot" of their games."

Mavs landing Dwight Howard, Deron Williams is 'possible if not probable'

January 16

Dallas Morning News

"Mark Cuban's decision to play for cap space after the Mavs' title run wasn't too popular when players like Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea started heading for the exits. But all would be forgiven if Cuban could lure both of the prized free agent targets of next summer -- namely, Deron Williams or Dwight Howard -- to play alongside Dirk in Dallas. Sure, it sounds like a pipe dream, but the odds might be a little better than you think. ESPN's Marc Stein polled representatives from 10 NBA teams during the D-League Showcase last week, asking whether they thought the Mavs had a realistic shot to land both Williams and Howard. "Lots of folks around the league are starting to believe that it's"

NY Knicks need Amar'e Stoudemire to step up to play against Dwight Howard

January 16

New York Daily News

"There's trouble brewing at both ends of the Knicks' court. Dwight Howard will present a huge problem at the Garden Monday, when the Knicks entertain Orlando in their annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee. Then there is the season-long issue of how to get Amar'e Stoudemire to resemble the same player who dominated at the offensive end last season. "Me and 'Stat' talk every day about things I see and we see,'' said Carmelo Anthony, who hopes to return to face the Magic after missing the Knicks' one-sided loss to Oklahoma City Saturday with a sprained right ankle. "We communicate about that, ways we can get better as a unit. At the end of the day, if you're not having fun, it makes the"

Chandler to take on Howard

January 16

New York Post

"In his previous three seasons as coach of the Knicks, Mike D'Antoni hasn't had an obvious way to try to counteract Dwight Howard in the paint whenever his team has faced the Magic. But with Tyson Chandler now anchoring the Knicks' defense, the task of trying to stop the league's most dominant inside presence has become much more manageable for the Knicks' coach and his players. "Tyson has got him," D'Antoni said. "[Howard's] good, but we'll play him straight up. We'll double-team as much as we can without going crazy, because they're great at spacing for [3-pointers]."

Media's kid gloves come off: Chicago columnist calls Dwight Howard 'idiot,' 'chump'

January 15

Orlando Sentinel

columnist Mike Bianchi

"There is something I'd like to say today to the big-city columnists who will be covering Dwight Howard once his trade request is executed and he gets his wish to play in a major media market. He is not "stupid." He is not an "idiot." He is not a "chump." And he is certainly not a "loser." Those are just some of the caustic, biting words used to describe Howard in a column earlier this week by the Chicago Tribune's resident rabble-rouser Steve Rosenbloom. It seems Rosenbloom had venom and vitriol pouring from his laptop because Howard has had the gall to leave the Chicago Bulls off of his preferred destination list. "I have an issue with Dwight Howard," Rosenbloom railed. "He sounds like an"

Magic can't let Orlando All-Star show stop a Howard trade

January 15

Orlando Sentinel

"The World's Greatest Pickup Game — a k a the NBA All-Star Game in Orlando — could get a little serious come Feb. 26. And, folks, these things are never serious. But let me ask you this: Could a matchup pitting Dwight Howard against Andrew Bynum be just for fun? Because it looks as if Howard of the Magic and Bynum of the Lakers will be the starting centers for their respective conferences … and because the trading deadline is 18 days after the exhibition … and because there's talk of Howard being traded for Bynum … Wouldn't it stand to reason that Dwight vs. 'Drew — after two days of media saturation — might not be all uncontested alley-oops, layups and hugs? Oh, my kingdom for some real"

Dwight Howard not part of Warriors' big man quest

January 14

San Francisco Chronicle

"It was fun while it lasted, but let's allow this to act as the end of the conversation about the Warriors landing Dwight Howard in a trade this season. Orlando general manager Otis Smith reiterated this week that he has given Howard's representative free rein to discuss potential deals with Dallas, New Jersey and the Lakers. Agent Dan Fegan made it clear to Sports Illustrated that Howard has no interest in playing for Golden State. And, on his way out of town late Thursday night, Howard said "no thanks" to a return to the Bay Area. He said he appreciated the energy of the Oracle Arena crowd, but he didn't see himself playing in a Warriors uniform in a week or even in five years. "I don't"

Dwight Howard too much for the Golden State Warriors

January 13

Oakland Tribune

"Dwight Howard made history at Oracle Arena and gave Warriors fans even more reason to fantastically long for him on their squad. Howard totaled 45 points, 23 rebounds and an NBA record 39 free-throw attempts Thursday night, leading the Magic to a 117-109 win over the Warriors (3-7). Monta Ellis' 30 points and 11 assists, and David Lee's 26 points and 12 rebounds, weren't enough to overcome the monster performance from the best center in the game. Warriors coach Mark Jackson -- without his best defensive big man in Kwame Brown, who is out with a chest muscle injury -- tried to slow Howard by putting him at the free-throw line. A lot. "We have two bodies that can defend him one-on-one and"

Dwight Howard breaks idol's 50-year-old record as Magic beat Warriors

January 13

Orlando Sentinel

"Dwight Howard has admired Wilt Chamberlain for years now. The Orlando Magic superstar watches old game film of Chamberlain. Howard reads books about him. Howard even has spoken with some of Wilt the Stilt's former teammates. On Thursday night, Howard outdid his idol, breaking a record that stood for nearly half a century. Howard shattered Chamberlain's mark for most free throws attempted in an NBA regular-season game. Howard made 21 of his 39 attempts and carried the Magic to a 117-109 win over the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. "I just tried to be aggressive and get to the line," Howard said. "I didn't care if I missed 30. I was still going to go up there and just shoot the next"

Hope for Howard: Magic employ NBA's all-time best FT shooter

January 12

Orlando Sentinel

"Dwight Howard has tried everything to become a better free-throw shooter, but he's going backward this season. Howard, who began the season as a career 59 percenter at the line, is currently at a frosty 42.6 percent. He was 3-of-12 in the Magic's win at Portland on Wednesday night. Howard hired a new shooting coach this summer and put in time at the line, mostly at Rollins College. Now he's working with the Michelangelo of free-throw shooters. The Magic employ the NBA's greatest free-throw shooter of all time — Mark Price."

Warriors hope Biedrins, Brown available vs. Howard

January 12

San Francisco Chronicle

"When Orlando brings "Daily Double" to Oracle Arena tonight, the Warriors won't have either portion of their double-barreled center attack at full strength. Dwight Howard has more double-doubles than anyone in the game since he entered the league in 2004-05. Warriors center Andris Biedrins has a sprained right ankle and infected toe, and backup Kwame Brown has an injured right shoulder."

Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic are overcoming distractions so far

January 10

Orlando Sentinel

"When Dwight Howard's trade request became public, the superstar center pledged he would play as hard as he could and remain focused while he remained with the Orlando Magic. It appears Howard has kept that promise. The win Sunday over the Sacramento Kings provided a case in point. Midway through the third quarter, Howard sat on the Magic bench with four fouls, no points and no rebounds and his team trailing 70-66. Howard could have tuned out, but he didn't. When Glen Davis drew a charge against J.J. Hickson, Howard jumped off his seat as if a bungee cord had pulled him upward. Howard pumped his right fist."

NY Knicks Amar'e Stoudemire linked to Dwight Howard trade rumors

January 10

New York Daily News

"Amar'e Stoudemire used to lead the Knicks in scoring. Now he leads them in most intriguing trade scenarios. Stoudemire, whose name surfaced last month in reports involving Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets, is also being mentioned as a possible partner in a trade to Orlando for Dwight Howard. "I don't worry about that stuff," Stoudemire said on Monday. Howard reiterated to the Orlando Sentinel on Sunday that his goal is to play in a large market and has identified the Lakers, Mavs and soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets as prospects. The Knicks would make sense except for the fact that it is unlikely the Magic would do a deal for Stoudemire, an Orlando native, because his contract is not"

Howard doesn't expect trade in near future, if at all

January 9

Yahoo! Sports

"Dwight Howard thinks he'll represent the Orlando Magic at this year's All-Star Game in Orlando – and he doubts he'll be switching uniforms at all this season in spite of his desire to be traded. Howard has not rescinded his trade request, but he told Yahoo! Sports he thinks there's a "100 percent" chance the Magic won't trade him before the Feb. 26 All-Star Game at the team's Amway Center. Team officials still hope to convince Howard to commit to staying with the franchise for the long term. "I don't think they are going to do anything right now because we're winning," Howard said after a 104-97 victory over the Sacramento Kings improved the Magic's record to 6-3. "Even if this is the"

Warriors: Only way Dwight Howard plays here is for foe

January 9

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Scott Ostler

"The good news for Warriors fans: Dwight Howard is coming to play in Oakland! The bad news: He's coming Thursday night, as a member of the Orlando Magic. Chances of the Warriors swinging a trade for the NBA's best center, a trade one Internet report had them aggressively pursuing: zero, give or take one percentage point. At Saturday night's Warriors' game in Oakland, chants of "We want Dwight" took hold a couple of times. Dream on, folks."

Dwight Howard has not withdrawn his trade request

January 9

Orlando Sentinel

"Dwight Howard's request to be traded still stands, and the Orlando Magic's general manager doesn't feel the team has done much to change the superstar's mind. "Nothing has changed," Howard said before the Magic faced the Sacramento Kings at Power Balance Pavilion on Sunday. Otis Smith confirmed Howard has not taken his trade request off the table and that Howard's agent still has permission to speak with three, and only three, teams: the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Jersey Nets. "I think his leaving or going has nothing to do with Orlando," Smith said of Howard. "I think he wants a bigger market. I can't do anything about that.""

Dwight Howard's trade plan: It's complicated

January 8

Orlando Sentinel

"The truest mission statement for the Magic is not about winning a title this season. It's about keeping Dwight Howard in town. Can't accomplish one without the other, anyway. To update, as of Thursday, nothing has changed on the Howard trade front, according to Magic brass. He still wants to be dealt (and after watching his team get hammered by the Bulls, he might have taken a parachute with him aboard the team charter for the West Coast trip). And something else hasn't changed: Dwight still holds all the cards. His ultimate leverage: telling whatever team the Magic have on the phone that he will or will not sign a contract extension with it. As we know, Howard's choice of teams are the"

Warriors actively after Dwight Howard, report says

January 6

San Francisco Chronicle

"The right ankle of Warriors point guard Stephen Curry is officially an issue, one that is going to create an immediate opportunity for Nate Robinson and could end any minute opportunity of acquiring Dwight Howard. According to a report by Yahoo Sports on Thursday, the Warriors have emerged as aggressive suitors for the Orlando Magic All-Star center. The report indicated that Golden State would be willing to part with Curry or Monta Ellis and be willing to take Howard without a guarantee he would re-sign. Of course, the Warriors would most likely have to take on Hedo Turkoglu's three-year, $34 million contract in any deal. The Warriors don't have a first-round pick to offer until 2016, and"

Warriors pursue Howard, but will Magic listen?

January 6

Yahoo! Sports

"As the Orlando Magic consider deals for Dwight Howard, the Golden State Warriors have emerged as aggressive suitors for the NBA's best center, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Golden State management is willing to take Howard as a one-season "rental," with the hope of selling him on signing a long-term deal before he enters free agency this summer. Like most teams, Golden State has inquired with Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith, but the Magic have yet to commit to aggressively pursuing a trade of Howard. For the Magic to become intrigued with package, two things would likely have to appeal to them: rebuilding around young point guard Stephen Curry; and the Warriors' salary-cap"

Pistons defense harnesses Dwight Howard as offense rolls

January 3

Detroit News

"Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard posed an interesting test for a Pistons team that has struggled mightily against big men so far this season. But what's probable isn't always impossible, and the Pistons (2-3) contained Howard and the Magic to the tune of an 89-78 win Monday at the Palace, their second straight win. Pistons guard Ben Gordon led with 26 points and six assists, continuing his efficient play. But it was the Pistons defense that did the job, a sticking point for Pistons coach Lawrence Frank. They held the Magic (4-2) to 32 second-half points and took control in the third quarter after trailing by two headed into halftime, a bugaboo in recent games."

Magic fans should keep eye on Lakers

January 1

Orlando Sentinel

"The Magic should have much in common with Jack Nicholson. They should be keeping a close eye on the L.A. Lakers, with or without sunglasses. For Magic fans, each Lakers loss, and especially a string of them, could be seen as a gain for Orlando. The more the Lakers lose, the closer they could get to remaking their team and dealing what the Magic really want for Dwight Howard: C Andrew Bynum and PF Pau Gasol. Recently, Jim Buss, in charge of the Lakers now, told the L.A. Times that he wasn't going to trade "two All-Stars" for Howard."

Dwight Howard doesn't want to leave … the floor

January 1

Orlando Sentinel

"For a superstar who wants to leave the Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard doesn't want to leave the floor and take a rest. "He got ticked at me when I took him out in the first half," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said after the club routed the Charlotte Bobcats 100-79 on Friday night. "He played the whole second half. He didn't want to come out." Management might not listen to every suggestion Howard makes. But Van Gundy isn't about to argue with Howard if the All-Star wants to stay on the court. He played all 24 minutes of the second half even though the Magic were never threatened by the Bobcats, building their lead to as many as 18 points."

Dwight Howard struggling at free-throw line

December 31

Orlando Sentinel

"Determined to improve his free-throw shooting, Magic C Dwight Howard hired a shooting coach, practiced religiously this summer and started wearing disposable contact lenses during games. But heading into Friday night's game against the Charlotte Bobcats, Howard had missed 14-of-22 attempts at the line, a feeble 36 percent. "I just have to keep shooting. They're going to fall," he said. "I just can't get upset. I've missed a lot of free throws." Thursday night against the New Jersey Nets in Orlando, Howard was just 2-of-9. Several of his first attempts carried wide left. You could see Howard's father, Dwight Howard Sr., grimacing and leaning to apply body language from his courtside seat"

Magic are hoping teams might invest in Rent-a-Dwight

December 30

Orlando Sentinel

"Want a superstar for a playoff run?! Need a defensive player of the year?! Can't fill all the seats in your arena?! Come on down to Amway Center before we run out of exclamation points! Yes, see us at Rent-a-Dwight! Of course, we take trade-ins!.... The Magic are talking to more teams than the ones on Dwight Howard's wish list. They will listen to anybody who is willing to take a risk and give up a few good men for Howard if he can lead them to the NBA Finals as a temp."

Tracy McGrady: Mavericks will land Dwight Howard and Deron Williams

December 30

Dallas Morning News

"It's only been two games, but the Mavericks are already showing signs that not re-signing Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea might be a decision that haunts Mark Cuban for a long time. After all, if Vince Carter, Lamar Odom and Delonte West don't meet expectations, Cuban will receive the bulk of the blame. Then again, if you believe in what former NBA superstar Tracy McGrady recently said, the Mavs owner could easily be looking like a genius by the end of the summer. During a recent interview with Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, McGrady, who is 32 and playing for the Atlanta Hawks, predicted that Dallas would be the landing spot for arguably the best big man in the game, Orlando Magic center"

Dwight Howard dominates as Orlando Magic rout New Jersey Nets

December 30

Orlando Sentinel

"No one needed a reminder, but Dwight Howard on Thursday night demonstrated why the Orlando Magic are desperate to keep him and why the New Jersey Nets are equally anxious to acquire him. He gathered rebound after rebound. He swatted away shots, sending one of them whizzing into the third row. He scored at will when he wasn't at the foul line. And with their 94-78 win over New Jersey, the Magic showed they are a far better team right now with Howard than the Nets are with point guard Deron Williams and without injured center Brook Lopez. "We're getting better," said Howard, who finished with 16 points, 24 rebounds and three blocks."

Dwight Howard declines to discuss his interest in the New Jersey Nets on eve of Magic-Nets game

December 29

Orlando Sentinel

"The most intriguing games on the Orlando Magic schedule have typically involved the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat. These days, that distinction belongs to the New Jersey Nets. Dwight Howard's desire to be traded to New Jersey has transformed Thursday night's Magic-Nets matchup at Amway Center into a must-see game. Asked why he's interested in the Nets, Howard responded, "We're not talking about the Nets right now. We're talking about the Magic. That's the team I play for. There's no need to talk about any other team, who is interested in them or not. So I'm not going to get into a discussion about it.""