According to Sam Amico of Sports Illustrated:
Source familiar with Lakers-Cavs-Magic talks says potential trade not dead, but in holding pattern. Teams seem to be weighing options, with Magic, in particular, seeing what else might be out there.
The longer the Magic wait, the more potential suitors are inclined to give up their dreams of acquiring DH12.
It’s already happened with the Brooklyn Nets—who effectively bowed out of the Howard sweepstakes by re-signing Brook Lopez—and it will likely happen to the Houston Rockets, the only other serious contender for the superstar center.
Los Angeles, who will likely need to involve a third party due to their inability to trade their own first-round picks (due to the Steve Nash trade/Ted Stepien Clause), currently has the best trade package to offer and it will be tough for anyone to top.
Before talks stalled, the Lakers and Cavaliers were in negotiations that would have sent Andrew Bynum to Cleveland, Anderson Varejao and a package of first-rounders to Orlando and, of course, Howard to Los Angeles.
That basic framework would also involve the Magic shedding a lot of bad contracts and basically putting the pieces in place to completely rebuild their team over the next few seasons.
Considering that Orlando will have to do that regardless of whether they trade DH12 or not (he’s going to leave for nothing as a free-agent next summer if GM Rob Hennigan does not work a deal out), the Lakers are the franchise that may benefit from waiting.
Eventually, Hennigan and the rest of the Magic's brass are going to realize they have to ditch Dwight or risk hamstringing the franchise’s future f...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
