Dwight Howard’s name has popped backed up on the news cycle with rumors of interest from both Los Angeles teams. Should the Boston Celtics be interested themselves?
The August NBA news-cycle just took a double espresso to the face with all of the rumors surrounding DeMarcus Cousins’ injury. Luckily, the Boston Celtics avoided relying on the injury-plagued big man for big minutes this coming season. The Los Angeles Lakers weren’t so lucky.
With Cousins now facing the possibility of missing the entire season, the Lakers are pivoting their attention to current Memphis Grizzlies-contracted player Dwight Howard. There’s an almost 0% chance that Howard plays a single game in Memphis, meaning he is firmly on the block.
By that I meant both the trade block and the chopping block if a trade doesn’t materialize.
Howard has been known as a jokester and an irritant. He was forced out of town by two of the more intense competitors of the last decade in James Harden and Kobe Bryant. These days, the former All-NBA big man is good for a one season stint with any team that decides to roll the dice on him. After that he is tossed aside, singing the same old song and dance on how he is a new version of himself.
Right now, the two favorites to win the NBA title are looking to sign him. Maybe the Boston Celtics should consider stealing him away from their most hated rivals.
Or should they?
Boston has problems in the front-court. Their backup center will either be Daniel Theis, Robert Williams or Vincent Poirier, but that trio has played a combined three seasons in the NBA. That is a worrisome proposition.
Howard adds years of experience at the top of the game. Howard at the peak of his powers as “Superman” scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds per game during the 2010-11 season. Hell, just two seasons ago he averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Coincidentally, current Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker was the starting point guard for the Charlotte Hornets during Howard’s one year short-stay. The two were able to form a viable pick-and-roll duo but it didn’t lead to much playoff success. Well it led to exactly zero because the Hornets weren’t one of the eight playoff teams in the East.
That led to an immediate departure for Howard, who signed a deal with the Washington Wizards last season. He played only nine games and now he is on the verge of being bought out for the second time after the Brooklyn Nets cut him in 2017.
Howard addresses a lot of issues for the Boston Celtics but he also presents new ones. His locker-room fit is volatile given the remnants of a tethered locker room from last season. Who knows what Howard does behind closed doors, but it has pissed off plenty of teams at this point.
Howard could be taxing on a franchise, especially one with the prospects the Boston Celtics have. Between Robert Williams, Grant Williams and Carsen Edwards, the Celtics’ future is bright. Why take a chance with somebody who can play well but detract from the team in so many other ways.
The fact remains: Howard is not what the Boston Celtics are looking for. Having a guy that can give you 15 good minutes on the court at the expense of a lackadaisical attitude that has been questioned by some of the game’s very best players and coaches just isn’t a reasonable trade-off.
Unfortunately, Howard is not the answer to the Celtics’ problems. The jury is out on whether he can solve the Lakers’ problems or just be a problem like he has been.