Juwan Howard is heading south.

The Orlando Sentinel reported on its Web site Sunday night that Howard, an unrestricted free-agent forward who played the past 1 ? seasons with the Denver Nuggets, will sign Wednesday with the Orlando Magic. Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper reported that Howard will sign a five-year contract worth about $28 million.

Howard, also courted by Minnesota and Detroit, apparently never seriously considered returning to the Nuggets. Throughout the free-agent negotiating period, Nuggets officials apparently had been resigned to the fact Howard would leave.

"We'd love to have him back," Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke said Sunday night before the news broke about Howard going to Orlando. "But I know he wants to win, and he thinks we're rebuilding."