Josh Smith and Atlanta beat Dwight Howard and Orlando in the first round of the playoffs last year.
Josh Smith and Atlanta beat Dwight Howard and Orlando in the first round of the playoffs last year. Reuters

The Nets, Lakers and Mavericks are among Dwight Howard's preferred destinations.

Howard can be traded to any team that accepts a deal, but he probably won't sign a contract extension with the other teams in the league, making a deal to any other city very unlikely.

But just because Howard hasn't listed another team as one that he'd like to play for, doesn't mean he won't change his mind.

Not on the list above is Atlanta.

Howard may have never expressed an interest to play for the Hawks, but they seem like as good a fit for him as any team in the NBA.

The center is from Atlanta, and a trade to the Hawks would allow him to play for his hometown team.

The Hawks roster is also constructed in a way that would appease Howard.

Howard recently said he likes being the best player on his team, and he'd like it to stay that way.

I don't think there's a player in the NBA that wants to be a nobody. I think everybody wants to be that guy to take the last shot or be that guy that everybody is leaning on, for whatever reason.

In Atlanta, Howard would be the top dog. Joe Johnson is currently the Hawks' best player. He leads them in scoring and is one of the highest paid players in the league.

Nevertheless, Joe Johnson is no Dwight Howard. If Howard was traded to Atlanta, he would immediately become the best player on the Hawks. They also have enough talent around him to make them a contender.

Atlanta would be more than willing to listen to a trade proposal that would include Josh Smith. The forward has let the Hawks know that he'd like to be traded by the Mar.15 trade deadline, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

The Magic have been hesitant to move Howard. They would need more than just Smith to make a deal work, but that is certainly a good place to start.

Smith is one of the most versatile players in the league. He's averaging 17.1 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists on the season. He's only 26 years old and would give Orlando a good, young player to build around.

Smith is not a superstar, but that may work to Atlanta's benefit when trying to work out a deal.

Reports say that if the Magic trade Howard, they will want a few young players back, instead of one great player. A package of Josh Smith, as well as draft picks and maybe another young player, could be enticing for Orlando.

Howard has maintained that he'd like to go to a big market. Atlanta may not be as glamorous as New York or Los Angeles, but it may be the best place for Howard.