Magic Trade Rumors: Dwight Howard pushing Josh Smith move

Rumors are swirling around the NBA on draft day regarding Atlanta Hawks power forward Josh Smith. The team getting the most chatter about Smith is the Orlando Magic.

According sources with CBS Sports, trade talks between the Hawks and Magic are totally legit.

Smith is a childhood friend of Dwight Howard, the Magic's star center and the best center in the entire league.

Howard happens to be entering free agency next summer and the Magic are desperate to add some pieces to the team in order to make a championship run.

The Magic need to do this in order to keep Howard, who may leave the organization that drafted him just as LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers one summer ago.

Recently, Howard made the following comments to the Orlando Sentinal:

But, at the same time, I do want to win, make sure everything is in line: our team, just everything from top to bottom, everybody is reaching for a championship. It can't be me and a couple other guys. It's gotta be the whole team - everybody on the staff. It's the same goal: the championship attitude. As of right now, I don't plan to be anywhere else besides Orlando.

The comments seem to suggest that Howard is pushing Magic GM Otis Smith into making a move.

The combination of Howard and Smith would form a fearsome Twin Towers that would rival the San Antonio Spurs many years ago when they had David Robinson and a young Tim Duncan playing side by side.

The Spurs were able to win two titles with the combination of Robinson and Duncan, and the Magic may be looking to duplicate that success.

Unfortunately, the Magic don't have many pieces with which to trade with the Hawks, who are looking to upgrade talent and unload salary.

The only likely scenario would be trading Jameer Nelson, J.J. Redick, and perhaps some future first round draft picks, since they don't own any this year.

Nelson would definitely be an upgrade for the Hawks at point guard. Nelson's and Reddick's contracts both expire in two years just like Smith, so that would be a wash.

Future first round draft picks, though they may be low picks, would basically be a game for future talent for the Hawks.

The Hawks and the Magic may also be looking to find a third team who may need one of the Magic's guards and help facilitate a trade that may include draft picks.

So even though the Magic and the Hawks both lack a first round draft pick this year, both teams could still make the biggest splash tonight.