Dwight Howard traded to Lakers in blockbuster deal, Bynum to 76ers

A trade sending Dwight Howard to the Lakers was agreed to in principle Thursday, a source confirmed, presumably ending a two-year saga that ultimately left the Brooklyn Nets on the losing end.

ESPN first reported the four-team blockbuster involving the Magic, Lakers, Nuggets and 76ers. As part of the proposed deal, which needs NBA approval, Howard joins Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash for the NBA’s most decorated Big 3 in Los Angeles. Andrew Bynum is headed to the 76ers, and current Olympian Andrew Igoudala is going to the Nuggets.

Orlando, having resisted overtures from Nets GM Billy King for more than a year, gets a cap-saving package highlighted by Arron Afflalo, former St. John’s guard Moe Harkless and three first-round picks.

Clearly, Brook Lopez wasn’t enough to move new Magic GM Rob Hennigan. Brooklyn’s solace is that the best center in the NBA is leaving the Eastern Conference. Howard preferred the Nets because of marketing opportunities and the opportunity to play with his good friend, Deron Williams.

And after frantic and frustrating negotiations, the Nets held out hope they could re-engage the Magic once Lopez was eligible to be traded midseason (he signed a four-year, $61 million deal with Brooklyn last month, and the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement dictated he couldn’t be sent elsewhere until Jan. 15).

But Howard-to-the-Lakers was clearly no consolation for the Nets. Although Howard will be a free agent next summer, he’ll have monetary incentive to re-sign with two former MVPs in Nash and Bryant, along with Pau Gasol.

Howard will also follow in the steps of Shaquille O’Neal, who left the Magic for the Lakers as a free agent in 1996. The Magic was determined not to lose another franchise player for nothing, and Orlando managed to get Howard to waive the early termination option on his contract so that he remained with the team through next season.

The Magic held a press conference in March lauding Howard’s “loyalty” for not becoming a free agent. But the relationship soured quickly. Both the Magic coach (Stan Van Gundy) and GM (Otis Smith) were fired, and Hennigan — only 30 years old —  was charged with navigating through the tricky process of trading a franchise player.

In the process, Hennigan held out long enough to force the Nets into another direction. By trading for Joe Johnson and signing Lopez, the Nets didn’t have the cap maneuverability to entice Orlando until January.

Now it’s probably too late.

If the trade goes through, the Lakers will hold Howard’s Bird Rights, meaning he can re-sign for five years instead of going elsewhere next summer for four years. His agent already made it clear Thursday night that Howard won’t be signing an extension with L.A. because he would make more money as a free agent.