In 2012, the best defensive player in the NBA was traded from a rebuilding team to a Los Angeles-based team that was looking to contend for championships. This, of course, was the Dwight Howard trade that moved him from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers in what was a four-team deal and one of the biggest blockbuster trades in history. At the time, the Magic were heavily scrutinized and believed to have been fleeced.
Now, in 2026, the best defensive player was traded from a rebuilding team to a Los Angeles-based team, and fans think LA again got the better end of this deal. This time, though, the trade happened in the NFL. Myles Garrett was just moved from the Cleveland Browns to the Los Angeles Rams. Garrett is fresh off breaking the single-season sack record, and the Browns will get Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick in return.
With fans quick to critique the trade for the Browns, these two trades already look eerily similar, but just how do the Howard and Garrett trades compare?
Comparing the Dwight Howard Los Angeles trade to the Myles Garrett deal
In 2012, Howard had recently led the small-market Magic to an NBA Finals appearance, and he had already won three Defensive Player of the Year trophies. His defensive prowess and physical traits were unmatched, which can be said about Garrett, too. The 6-foot-10 center led the NBA in rebounds four times during his time with the Magic. He also came close to the 3.0 blocks per game threshold on a nearly yearly basis, even leading the league in that category twice.
Garrett, meanwhile, just recorded 23 sacks, and his 123.5 sacks are already the 20th most ever. Garrett combines speed, strength, and pass-rushing moves unlike anyone else in the league. He is also a former first overall pick in his own right. The Browns have struggled in recent years, though, and Garrett has made it clear that he wants to win. Ultimately, that is what led to his trade. While the Magic had a little more team success, Howard was regularly involved in drama and disagreements with his organization. Howard also similarly believed that his team wasn’t doing enough to build a championship contender around him.
Howard was eventually sent to the Lakers alongside Chris Duhon and Earl Clark. Andre Iguodala ended up with the Denver Nuggets, and the Philadelphia 76ers received Jason Richardson and Andrew Bynum. The Magic’s return included Al Harrington, Arron Afflalo, Nikola Vucevic, Josh McRoberts, Mo Harkless, and a lottery-protected first-round pick from each of the other three teams.
That was viewed as a great move for the Lakers at the time because Howard was viewed as the new Shaquille O’Neal for Kobe Bryant. The Magic, meanwhile, were thought to have not gotten enough. Afflalo and Harrington were just solid role players, Vucevic had yet to break out, and the first-round capital was all protected, so fans expected even more. Things didn’t work out like anybody expected, though.
Drama followed Howard to Los Angeles, and back surgery led to his regression on the court. Superman managed to still lead the league in rebounds per game, but his 17.1 points per game were the fewest since his second season, and he left the Lakers after just one season. Afflalo had two solid seasons in Orlando, but the Magic emerged as the winners of this trade because of Vucevic’s development. The Montenegrin big man became Orlando’s starting center for eight and a half seasons, where his stretch ability helped popularize the importance of shooting for big men.
The draft capital amounted to just Romero Osby, Elfrid Payton, Justin Jackson, and Wes Iwundu, which is severely underwhelming. Still, the Magic were better off than the Lakers because Howard was never going to re-sign, and he bolted to the Houston Rockets a year after this blockbuster.
Myles Garrett’s trade to the Rams
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
As of now, it does appear the Rams won the Garrett trade. Most superstar defenders have been getting dealt for two first-round picks in recent years. Look no further than the Sauce Gardner trade as proof. Los Angeles only had to give up one first, though, despite the fact that Garrett is coming off arguably the best defensive season in league history. The Browns do have draft picks coming their way over each of the next three seasons, but first-round picks are just so valuable in the NFL.
The Browns also received Jared Verse. He won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award two seasons ago playing the same edge rushing position that Garrett plays, but he is far from the level of player that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year is. In fact, it can be argued that Verse is overrated because of the hardware he earned in year one.
While certainly a talented player, it helped Verse’s case that he was drafted in a year where a defensive player wasn’t selected until pick 15. He has 12 sacks through two seasons, which is good, but it isn’t great. Embracing a full-blown rebuild made sense for the Browns, but Cleveland’s return in the Garrett trade is underwhelming.
The Rams were title favorites even before the deal, and Garrett’s presence ensures they are frontrunners to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. The team has added tons of talent in the offseason. On top of Garrett, defensive backs Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson were added. Les Snead has found loads of success in trading first-round picks for veterans, and it has paid off in the past. Don’t expect that to change this go around. The Dwight Howard trade to the Lakers serves as a fair warning that even the worst trades at first glance don’t always pan out as expected, though.
In 2012, the best defensive player in the NBA was traded from a rebuilding team to a Los Angeles-based team that was looking to contend for championships. This, of course, was the Dwight Howard trade that moved him from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers in what was a four-team deal and one of the biggest blockbuster trades in history.
