ORLANDO, Fla., March 13 (UPI) -- Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is determined to leave the team as a free agent, league sources told Yahoo! Sports Tuesday.
As Magic Chief Executive Alex Martins decides whether to deal the superstar with Thursday's NBA trade deadline approaching, Howard has already decided to join the New Jersey Nets as a free agent next season whether or not he's sent packing now, the Web site said.
Martins has been holding off on trading Howard after the six-time all-star center reportedly indicated he could be swayed to sign a long-term deal with the Magic if they could acquire another all-star-caliber player.
Martins for weeks has said he's hopeful Howard will have a change of heart, and some unnamed associates have indicated the pivotman is genuinely conflicted about moving on, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
But that is merely a ruse and a misdirection play en route to an eventual signing with the Brooklyn-bound Nets, Yahoo! Sports reported.
The newspaper said the Magic has put a five-year, $109 million deal on the table.
