- The Los Angeles Lakers’ trade for Dwight Howard was a four-team trade and one of the biggest blockbuster deals in NBA history.
- The trade didn’t help any franchise involved, as Howard’s one-year stint in Los Angeles didn’t work out, and the rebuild set the Orlando Magic back several seasons.
- The deal included 12 players and five picks – here’s where everyone involved is today.
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The Dwight Howard trade to the Los Angeles Lakers was one of the biggest blockbusters in NBA history and, ultimately, a deal that didn’t seem to benefit anyone.
Howard was one of the NBA’s best players when the Magic shipped him to the Lakers in 2012 in a four-team trade that included the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets.
Howard’s one-year stint on the Lakers was a disaster, as he battled injury and chemistry issues on the star-studded squad. Meanwhile, the Magic’s attempt at a rebuild after losing their star came well short. They broke a six-year playoff drought since the trade this season, but have a long way to go.
The 76ers took a swing in the trade by landing Andrew Bynum and missed, while the Nuggets may have actually gotten the best end of the deal by landing just one player – Andre Iguodala.
Seven years later, here's where all of the players and the draft picks involved in the trade ended up.
The trade centered on Dwight Howard, who was one of the NBA's best players at the time.
Howard had dominated with the Orlando Magic, but when he told the team he wanted out, with his free agency approaching in the offseason, they decided to trade him.
Howard's time with the Lakers was a bust. He battled injuries and chemistry issues, and the star-studded Lakers fizzled out. He's hopped around the NBA since, playing on four teams in the last six years. After an injury-plagued season with the Wizards in which he only played in nine games, Howard was traded to the Grizzlies this summer and cut. He is now a free agent.
The Lakers also received Chris Duhon from the Magic.
Duhon's lone season with the Lakers was his last in the NBA. He is now an assistant coach on the Illinois State basketball team.
Earl Clark, a fourth-year forward, also joined the Lakers in the trade.
Clark showed some promise in his NBA career but struggled with consistency. He last played in the NBA for the Nets in 2015 and now plays overseas, most recently in Montenegro.
The Magic got a haul in return, receiving players from the Lakers, 76ers, and Nuggets. The 76ers sent second-year center Nikola Vucevic to the Magic.
Vucevic is still with the Magic. He averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds, and nearly 4 assists per game in 2018-19 and made his first All-Star game.
The Magic received Arron Afflalo from the Nuggets.
Afflalo bounced around the league after that, playing for the Nuggets (again), Blazers, Knicks, Kings, and Magic (again). He last played in the NBA in 2018 but worked out for some teams during the 2018-19 season.
Al Harrington, a scoring forward from the Nuggets, also landed with the Magic in the trade.
Harrington played two more seasons, finishing his NBA career with the Wizards in 2014. He now plays in the Big 3 and is an advocate for legal marijuana and an investor in marijuana companies.
Source: GQ
The 76ers sent the Magic rookie forward Moe Harkless, who hadn't yet played an NBA game.
Harkless played for the Magic for three years and was traded to the Blazers. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers this summer. He has career averages of 7 points and 3 rebounds per game.
The Lakers traded Josh McRoberts to the Magic.
McRoberts last spent a brief stint with the Mavericks in the 2017-18 season.
Christian Eyenga was traded from the Lakers to the Magic.
Eyenga never played in the regular season for the Magic and hasn't played in the NBA since. He now plays overseas.
The Magic got several draft picks back in the trade, too. A 2013 second-round draft pick from the Nuggets became Romero Osby.
Osby never played in the NBA. He played overseas until 2015 and now appears to be involved in real estate.
Source: Twitter