The Orlando Magic, New Jersey Nets, and Portland Trail Blazers have discussed a three-team trade which would send Magic superstar center Dwight Howard to New Jersey while fetching 23-year-old center prospect Brook Lopez from the Nets and veteran combo forward Gerald Wallace from Portland, according to a report from ESPN New York. In an effort to improve its trade offer for Howard, New Jersey recruited Portland into joining the proposed deal by offering to send draft considerations its way in exchange for the Blazers re-routing Wallace to Orlando.
In addition to receiving Wallace and Lopez, the Magic would shed the bloated salaries of Hedo Turkoglu and Chris Duhon in the proposed trade, the report says.
The Nets have long made clear they intend to offer Lopez for Howard, but he on his own isn't nearly enough to convince Orlando to part with the league's best center. Adding Wallace to the deal sweetens it a bit, but in all likelihood he's not nearly the caliber of player who could convince the Magic to seriously consider this trade. Though a one-time All-Star, Wallace's skills and productivity have diminished in recent seasons. He averaged 15.7 points, eight rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game in 2010/11, split between the Charlotte Bobcats and Portland.
Ken Berger of CBS Sports cites a source as saying Orlando is "not in a rush to do anything" regarding Howard. "If people think things are imminent, then they're being led down the wrong path," the source told Berger.
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