As the NBA trade deadline gets closer, it should come as no surprise that Dwight Howard is being associated with different teams around the league. According to Ken Berger of CBSSports, the Magic would prefer to trade Howard to the Chicago Bulls because of their assets, but apparently Howard isn't interested in coming to the Windy City:
Magic executives are said to be unimpressed with the assets Howard's three preferred teams could provide in a trade, prompting them to engage in a calculated campaign to expand the field of potential suitors beyond the Nets, Mavericks and Lakers. But the team that can make the strongest case for Orlando to depart from its risky strategy of holding onto Howard are the Bulls, who could offer 7-footer Omer Asik, Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer for Howard and Hedo Turkoglu, sources said. The Bulls also could offer a valuable first-round pick from Charlotte -- top-14 protected in this year's draft but but unprotected by 2016.
Such a scenario has gained no traction since Chicago is "not on his list," a person familiar with the situation said of Howard. Without assurances from Howard or his camp that he'd be willing to sign long-term with the Bulls, Chicago executives have exhibited no appetite for trade talks with the Magic. The two teams have spoken, but there's "no type of serious discussions" going on, a person familiar with the situation said.
It will be interesting to see if the Bulls continue to go forward with the group they have, considering the fact they already have a place among the elite in the NBA. However, if Howard might be the key to getting by the Miami Heat, would it be worth picking him up without the guarantee he would sign an extension?
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