Dwight Howard Says He Is Trying to Steer Clear of "Circus" Amid NBA Trade Deadline Rumors

Another season, another trade deadline controversy involving LA Lakers superstar Dwight Howard.

After being caught in the eye of the storm of NBA trade rumors last season when he was with the Orlando Magic, the Lakers' West All-Stars starting center is trying to steer clear of that trap this season.

"Right now, my only focus is to get us into the playoffs and win the championship," Howard told Stephen A. Smith Monday on SportsCenter. "Nothing else matters at this point."

The speculation of Howard being traded has grown for weeks, rumors of Howard being unhappy in LA and not being able to get along with fellow superstar and Lakers legend Kobe Bryant making headlines.

For many critics, this scene is eerily familiar with the drama that surrounded Howard--the aptly nicknamed "Dwight-mare" saga--when Howard balked on signing an extension with Orlando prior to the trade deadline last season with a year remaining on his contract. And with the firing of head coach Stan Van Gundy, whom Howard reportedly clashed with, Howard's reputation became marred with some labeling the perennial All-Star center as a "coach-killer" and a prima donna.

Howard took issue with those rumors during his interview.

"I'm not a crybaby," Howard told Smith. "I didn't try to cry my way out of Orlando. That was never my intention, or not what I did at all. And I understand everybody thought it was that way because of what was being put out there. I'm not indecisive. I love this game. You know I play it because it inspires me; it inspires millions of kids around me, adults and all. And, I'm going to have fun while I do it."

The Lakers have taken a stance against moving Howard this week, with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak telling Newsday recently that the franchise had no plans to trade Howard, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

While the conventional wisdom is that Howard will resign with LA, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year is planning on focusing on the season at hand, not the rumors or any potential moving locations.

"I understand, you know, what the Lakers want," Howard said. "And I also understand that right now, there's no need for all the circus, and all the stuff that happened last year to start back up. I don't want it, my team doesn't need it, I don't need it, and frankly, our fans don't need it neither."

Meanwhile, Howard will be sitting out his third straight Tuesday's game against the Brooklyn Nets due to the torn labrum he suffered in his right shoulder.

Howard, who has dealt with this ailment before earlier in the season, underwent a minor procedure Saturday and has experienced trouble lifting his shoulder above a certain height. He will be taking his time in getting the shoulder back to full strength.

"I'm not in any rush. I don't want to reinjure it," Howard told the LA Times.