First it was LeBron James.
Then Carmelo Anthony.
Chris Paul was poised to follow.
The latest NBA star to take a mental toll on his team by not recommitting to it — and by bringing nothing but uncertainty to the situation — is Dwight Howard. Pretending that Howard's actions have not affected the Orlando Magic is ignoring reality.
The past six games, the Orlando Magic have been …
• Embarrassed in Boston, scoring 56 points in a 31-point loss;
• Embarrassed at home, blowing a 27-point lead to lose by eight to Boston;
• Embarrassed in New Orleans, scoring 67 points and losing by 26 to a team that has four wins and 17 losses;
• Embarrassed in a 21-point loss at home to Indiana, a team the Magic managed to beat between the Boston losses.
Yes, teams go through bad stretches. The Magic started 11-4 before this free fall, so it could be an aberration, or it could simply be that the Magic just aren't that good.
But it sure seems like this situation goes deeper, that it's rooted in Howard's decision before the season to tell the Magic he would not re-sign but would accept a trade to certain teams.
That left everyone in Orlando — fans, team and management — wondering what would happen.
The Magic talked trade, but when they couldn't find a fair one decided to play out the season with Howard, who promised the uncertainty would not affect his desire and effort.
But it has a mental effect.
Denver coach George Karl on "The Dan Patrick Show" talked about how heavy the burden became when Anthony trade talk was rampant and the Nuggets had to face it every day. Karl talked of daily rumors, daily media questions. He said he tried to have the team ignore the questions and let him handle them, but it didn't work.
Anthony was traded to the Knicks. And while the Knicks have fallen apart, the Nuggets — shorn of the burden of uncertainty, of what might happen — have played far better.
With James, the Cavs and their fans did not feel the burden of what might happen until that infamous Game 5 playoff matchup against Boston. To think future uncertainty didn't affect the Cavs in the Game 6 loss in Boston is unrealistic.
Once the offseason began, the Cavs and their fans thought of nothing but what would happen.
Now the Magic try to play a season while wondering the same. Howard trade talk is swirling, and the reality that he will leave after the season as a free agent comes closer every day. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has dismissed the concern that Howard's future is affecting his team negatively.
But the Orlando Sentinel's Brian Schmitz writes that it's time to trade Howard, perhaps to the Lakers.
Howard chose not to talk to the media after the loss to the Pacers on Sunday. In New Orleans, he blasted his teammates, saying if they didn't want to play, they should not have shown up.
The natural inclination from the "supporting cast" might be to wonder why Howard couldn't give a long-term commitment to the team. Nobody would say that, of course, but it's only natural that when a guy the team depends on has one eye elsewhere, the team will suffer.
If the best player is talking about the Bulls, the Celtics, the Lakers, the Clippers, the Nets, the Knicks … his team might wonder whether he's truly with them. If it's not conscious, it surely might seep into the psyche.
Howard, Van Gundy and the Magic all said the right things when his trade demand was made: that Howard would focus on winning, and the team would be fine. They're sticking to that company line.
But the weight, as Karl said, gets heavier every game. And the closer the trade deadline, the heavier it gets.
Howard's demand has a cost, and right now the Magic and their fans are paying the price. Unfortunately, they will continue to pay it for years, because Howard looks like the next superstar to bolt to a new team.
More and more it seems to be just a matter of when the Magic decide to cut their losses.
As they're learning, uncertainty pretty much stinks.
