Responding to speculation that he wants to jump to a bigger market when he can became a free agent next year, superstar center Dwight Howard indicated Monday that his strong preference is to remain with the Orlando Magic for the long term.

"I'm not trying to run behind nobody like Shaq or be behind somebody else," Howard said, referencing Shaquille O'Neal's decision to leave the Magic following the 1995-96 season and sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.

"I want to start my own path and I want people to follow my path and not just follow somebody else's path. I want to have my own path, and I want to start that here in Orlando. But I can't do it alone. Not only do I need the right teammates, but I need the city behind me. That's the only way it's going to get done. We can change this small city that we have — this small market that we have — and we can make it a big market."

The Orlando Magic's options are severely limited by an oversized payroll and by a roster that lacks attractive trade assets.

"I just feel like they've kind of gone down the same path as Cleveland went around LeBron [James]," Steve Kerr, an analyst for TNT and the former general manager of the Phoenix Suns, said during an interview Friday.

"Not to make it an ominous sign, but they've really tried hard and they've spent a ton of money to put people around Dwight hoping that that would convince him to stay, hoping that that would get the franchise over the top.

"But in the end, the risk was extending themselves on the cap and really hamstringing their future options. It was very similar to Cleveland, and I think that's where Orlando is now. There's no way — there's no way — you can get Chris Paul or Deron Williams when you don't have cap room and you don't have assets."

Nets center Brook Lopez said speculation about the Nets' interest in acquiring Dwight Howard doesn't bother him, and added he could even see himself playing alongside Howard -- if the Nets were able to sign the Magic center as a free agent or otherwise acquire him without trading Lopez.

"You know, I’ve played with bigs before – on other levels, obviously -- with my brother (Robin), growing up,'' Lopez said. "So I think we could do it, if it came down to it somehow. By no means am I endorsing or going out there and saying stuff, but I think we’d find a way if that happened.''

Lopez said his arm -- which was operated on last week to remove calcium deposits and bone fragments that bothered him the entire season -- feels "great,'' and if it heals properly, won't be a problem next season.

On Monday night, Dwight Howard went on Twitter and indicated the Orlando Sentinel is trying run him out of town just like Shaquille O’Neal.

“Y does it seem like the writers of Orlando sentinel are tryna push me out of Orlando with dumb articles. It’s annoying. Can I enjoy my summer and get ready for next season in Orlando. Pls. Same thing u guys did to Shaq. Smh”

Smh is Twitter language for ”shaking my head.”

Howard elaborated further in other Tweets.

“I’m not blaming the media. I’m saying stop with the dumb articles. They don’t make be decision of mine. I jus don’t want Orlando fans to believe them. Cuz they don’t know. I love my city.”

Magic CEO Bob Vander Weide said the team had some concerns about Gilbert Arenas’ conditioning that might be a factor in the guard's drop-off in production since returning from surgery on his left knee.

 “The whole Gilbert thing, to me, is he kind of let himself go in Washington. I think for Gilbert, because he's had some knee problems, not doing the things outside of practice that keep him completely in great shape — his weight down, so that it's not a strain on the knee — were cumbersome getting back into it.

“I just don't think based on the time we really had with Turk, J-Rich and Gilbert they jelled as well as we thought they would. That's not to discount any opportunity they could play well for us in the future. I don't think Gilbert for the first couple of months was in the greatest shape. I think toward the end you certainly saw some great games, but I don't think the consistency was there by any of them, and that's what we missed. That's a big piece of not just those three, but that's a big piece why this team didn't go any further.”

Derrick Rose received 113 of 120 first place votes (1,182 points) to win the 2010-11 NBA Most Valuable Player award.

Dwight Howard finished second with 643 points, followed by LeBron James with 522, Kobe Bryant with 428, Kevin Durant with 190 and Dirk Nowitzki with 113 points.

Rose is the youngest winner of the award in NBA history and will not turn 23 until October.