The Orlando Magic have been scrambling for months trying to figure out a way to keep Dwight Howard. If the rumors are true, they’ve found a way to do that, now they just need to execute.
Sources close to Dwight Howard have said that if the Magic can land Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash, then Howard will stay with Orlando. I guess there’s only one real way to find out if that’s true, and landing Nash might be tough for the Magic. Nash isn’t looking to get out of Phoenix, he has a loyalty to his teammates and the fans, but he says he’ll understand if the Suns want to start the rebuilding process.
“There’s no uncertainty about my future for me,” Nash said. “I’m a Phoenix Sun, I want to finish the season with the Phoenix Suns. I want to see how good we can be and fight for my teammates and fight for my fans. That’s all I consider. I just try to get up every day and work hard so I can play at a high level and help my team. After that, I’m not really concerned with anything.”
I’m totally open if the team says they want to trade me, but my position is that I want to fight for these fans. I’ve been here a long time. I’ve had a great experience. They’ve been great to me. My teammates are great. I don’t want to jump ship on them. I’m ready to fight it out. But if the team decided to trade me, I’d understand that.”
So the Magic might have a bit of an uphill battle to climb if they decide they really want Steve Nash. Aside from the fact that Nash doesn’t really want to leave Phoenix, the Magic don’t have much to offer in terms of a trade. If the Suns really want to rebuild, I don’t think they’ll want to start off with J.J. Redick. I think if they really were going to let Nash go, it would have to be for some really solid young talent, which the Magic don’t really have to trade.
But if the rumors are true and Dwight wants Nash in Orlando, you can expect the Magic to try everything they can to land the veteran point guard. The Magic and the city of Orlando have made it clear for months now that they don’t want to lose their All-Star big man. With 2 weeks left until the trade deadline, it’s crunch time, and we’ll see what they can come up with.
