Celtics president Danny Ainge has spent the last few seasons stockpiling assets and waiting for a superstar to come on the market. Dwight Howard may no longer be a top-10 player, but he's on the market. Thus, Ainge and the Rockets have discussed a deal that would center around Howard, according to the New York Daily News' Frank Isola.
Celtics reportedly inquire about Dwight Howard, but he wouldn’t make sense for them
The Celtics reportedly “engaged” Houston in a trade discussion surrounding Dwight Howard, but it’s hard to see the logic in cashing their assets in for a declining player.
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There's no mention in the report of the price Houston is seeking, but the Celtics have a treasure chest of assets. They own seven first-round picks over the next three years, two of which are completely unprotected from the Nets. They also have a number of productive players on team-friendly contracts, including Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley, who will earn $7 and $8 million, respectively, this year.
Howard is making $22 million this season and has a player option for next season for $23 million. It’s not known whether he plans on exercising that option, but given his advancing age, recent health issues and the league’s ever-rising salary cap, the safe bet is that Howard does opt out in an attempt to sign one more large contract.
Celtics forward David Lee, who's making $15 million in the final season of his current deal, would likely need to be a part of any package for Howard.
Why the Celtics will trade for Dwight Howard
He's no longer the player he once was, but Howard remains one of the top two-way big men in the league. He's only averaging 14.4 points, his lowest output since his rookie year, but would immediately become Boston's top post threat and roll-man. Screen-and-rolls involving him and the shifty Isaiah Thomas would be deadly, especially if Celtics head coach Brad Stevens flanked them with shooters.
Boston is currently 12th in the league in points per possession. The addition of Howard could be enough to push that mark into the top-10.
On defense, Howard would provide the Celtics with the one quality they don’t have: rim protection. Of course, Boston may have to part with top perimeter defenders like Bradley and/or Crowder in order to acquire Howard, but Stevens is cunning enough to design an effective defensive scheme to make up for that loss.
The Celtics are currently in fourth place in the East and just five-and-a-half games behind the No. 2 Raptors. That said they're also just four games ahead of the No. 9 Hornets. The East is jam-packed and adding a player like Howard could be enough to help Boston solidify some home court advantage in the playoffs.
Once that happens, who knows? The Cavaliers are clearly the team to beat in the conference, but after that it is wide open. If Howard, playing for another contract, gave the Celtics a few dominant months, perhaps the team could make a deep playoff run and even beat Cleveland.
One would also have to assume that adding Howard would provide the Celtics an inside track to re-sign him to a long term deal. They’d be able to offer him more money and years than other suitors.
Howard may not be Ainge’s ideal target, but at a certain point, he needs to pull the trigger and do something with all those assets. If Ainge is talking to the Rockets about Howard, it’s likely because he’s surveyed the rest of the league and doesn’t see many other options. Howard could be the best player available. If that’s the case, Ainge is correct to want in.
Why the Celtics won’t trade for Dwight Howard
Because Danny Ainge hasn’t spent nearly three seasons stockpiling assets and bidding his time so that he could one day trade for an aging mercurial center with bad knees and an achy back. Once upon a time, Howard was a beast who could single-handedly carry a team to the Finals. Today, he’s the second best player on a team barely hanging on to a playoff spot.
Howard has never fully recovered from the back surgery he underwent the offseason before he joined the Lakers. He missed half of last season and hasn't looked fluid this year. He's a bigger name than anyone currently on the Celtics roster, but he wouldn't necessarily make them better. The Celtics are allowing the second fewest points per possession in the league, and in order to get Howard, they would likely have to surrender at least one of their top defenders in Bradley and Crowder. The Howard who played for the Magic could cover up for weak perimeter defenders. Today's Howard cannot.
It’s also unclear Howard would stick around for the future. Boston can offer more money and years, but we’ve already seen Howard turn down a larger offer three years ago from the Lakers to sign with Houston. Who’s to say he wouldn’t do so again? That’s assuming the Celtics are even interested in spending north of $100 million on a fading big man.
Ainge's patience and devotion to the bigger picture are what make him one of the league's best executives. Trading for Howard would go against everything he's done since dealing Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets in 2013. Boston doesn't have to trade those draft picks.
Likelihood (2/10)
It’s hard to see Ainge handing over any substantial assets to the Rockets in exchange for Howard. Chances are this report is the result of Ainge doing his due diligence and checking in with a flailing team to see if they might be interested in dumping a big-time player in the last year of his deal.
But the Rockets aren’t just going to give Howard away, which makes it unlikely Howard ends up in Celtics green.
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