May 8, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) celebrates defeating the Boston Celtics in game five of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 87-86. Mandatory Credit: Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE

It seems every summer another superstar in the NBA causes drama. Last summer it was Chris Paul, two summers ago it was our beloved Carmelo Anthony and three summers ago it was LeBron James.

This summer, Dwight Howard is following suit and is demanding to get traded from the Orlando Magic. Of course, he’s not making life easy for the Magic by saying that there is one team on his list and it is the Brooklyn (formerly New Jersey) Nets.

Of course, the Nets cap space is closing up quickly after re-signing Gerald Wallace ($40 million/4 years) and trading for Joe Johnson (who will be making nearly $87 million over the next four years). They also are expected to offer point guard Deron Williams the max as well which doesn’t leave a lot of money to get Howard.

Brooklyn could obviously swing a deal involving a sign-and-trade with big man Brook Lopez, young shooting guard MarShon Brooks and draft picks.

The Magic would probably want more than the Nets scraps for arguably the best big man in the NBA, teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks could also swoop in and make offers to acquire the so-called Superman.

The Denve Nuggets, on the other hand, seem to be content to stand on the sidelines this off-season. They stand by their word that they want to see how this team can do for a full season. It’s hard to argue with how the team finished last season, but it’s also fair to believe it is still short a few pieces of contending with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat.

But is Dwight Howard the answer? No doubt the Nuggets don’t want anything to do with Howard, especially after what they went through with Anthony. However, they have assets that intrigue other teams and they should at least explore their options as a third team in the trade. Especially if names like Al Horford, MarShon Brooks and Brook Lopez are getting thrown around.

No doubt Denver wants to re-sign restricted free agent JaVale McGee, but if the sides can’t come close on a contract the Nuggets should see what Horford’s value is. The 26-year-old big man is somebody that the Nuggets organization has been fond off, they attempted to acquire the former Florida star for Nene at the trade deadline and Horford has a special bond with former teammate and current Denver Nugget reserve Corey Brewer. He is also one of the most skilled big man in the NBA and is a legitimate low-post threat. He missed most of last year due to a shoulder injury, but returned to lead the Hawks to a Game 5 victory. He scored Atlanta’s final two basket and finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Brooks, who averaged 12.6 points during his rookie season for the Nets, has impressed many with his scoring prowess and could be somebody that takes the Nuggets over the top. Lopez battled injuries last season, but averaged 20.4 points for the Nets in 2010-11. He also brought down only 5.9 rebounds a game.

1. Cleveland  Kyrie Irving   6-3 191  Freshman  Point Guard
   In my humble opinion, Irving isn’t the best player in the draft. He should be a good point guard in the NBA, but will have the pressure of making Cleveland fans forget LeBron James. Irving may never make it to the same level as Chris Paul or Derrick Rose, but he could be a notch below that.
2. Minnesota  Derrick Williams  6-9  248   Sophomore  Forward
   Williams  may be the best player in the draft, he has the versatility to play both forward position and the skills to score inside and out. He also can impact the floor on both sides of the ball. However, not sure if the Timberwolves are the best fit for him. They have a plethora of versatile forwards (Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Anthony Randolph and Wesley Johnson), but Williams is better than them all except for Love.
3. Utah  Brandon Knight  6-3  177  Freshman  Point Guard
   This is an example of how bad the draft is, in a normal draft Knight may be a flex-top-15 pick, but in this draft he is projected to go in the top five. It is a tough pick for the Jazz, because their biggest needs are on the wings but it is too early to draft a wing with the third pick, unless they fall in love with Kawhi Leonard. Knight could have a great career, one that mirrors a player like Jrue Holliday but it is a pretty big drop off from Irving.
4. Cleveland  Enes Kanter  6-11 259  Freshman  Center/Power Forward
   Kanter has wowed some teams in recent workouts. He has great size and athleticism to go with his basketball IQ. Kanter did lose a year after sitting out his freshman season due to suspension. He is an intriguing prospect and has potential to be another Love with some coaching and years. If he falls to the Cavaliers at four, it would be a great draft for Cleveland.
5. Toronto  Jan Vesely  6-11 230 21 years old  Forward
   Vesely may be the most ready foreign prospect in the draft. At 21, he doesn’t have the potential as other foreign prospects, but is one of the more ready players in the draft. He hustles and is very competitive and is very athletic. He could potentially be another Andrei Kirilenko. (more…)