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It’s no secret that Dwight Howard isn’t near the overwhelming drive he was.
He’s now not probably the greatest defensive gamers within the NBA. Not a menacing lob risk. Not Superman. Age was his kryptonite, and he’s nearing the top of a Corridor of Fame profession.
Retaining that in thoughts, and conserving expectations low, he could be an ideal match for the Celtics as a low-risk, medium-reward acquisition. Because the roster presently stands, there’s a number of strain on Al Horford and Robert Williams to log heavy minutes. They’re each able to doing in order wanted, however it’s higher to relaxation them as a lot as doable within the common season so that they’re recent for the playoffs.
Outdoors of Horford and Williams, the Celtics can flip to Luke Kornet on the 5, see what Mfiondu Kabengele has to supply or go small with Grant Williams, Danilo Gallinari and even doubtlessly Jayson Tatum at heart. With all due respect to Luke Kornet, none of these conditions scream championship.
Kornet has respectable contact across the rim, makes sound choices and performs unselfishly, however he’s a little bit of a legal responsibility defensively and isn’t essentially a risk on the rim. In fact every little thing is rosy if Horford and Robert Williams keep wholesome and don’t log too heavy a workload, however the Celtics can’t financial institution on that.
They’ve three open roster spots. It might make sense to usher in a guard with an outdoor shot (Matt Ryan?), a ahead additionally with vary (Justin Jackson?) and a backup large. Now that the $17.1 million traded participant exception has formally expired, it seems unlikely they’ll spend a big quantity on any of the three.
If solely there have been a participant who wouldn’t want some huge cash, is on the hunt for yet one more championship and would fill a kind of wants…oh, wait a minute. There’s.
Howard doesn’t have the identical burst, however he would nonetheless thrive as a shot-blocker and rim-protector for the Celtics. He’s probably the greatest defensive gamers in NBA historical past, and nabbing even a shell of the participant he was could be useful.
The Celtics, in the meantime, are the most effective defensive workforce within the NBA, and it is smart to accumulate a middle who provides to that moderately than detracts (see: DeMarcus Cousins). Howard might have misplaced a step, however he’s not completely washed up. He averaged 6.2 factors, 5.9 rebounds, 0.6 blocks and 0.6 steals in simply 16.2 minutes per sport final yr for the Lakers. His subject objective proportion of 61.2 (principally dunks) exceeded his profession mark, and he even shot 53.3 % from 3-point vary and 65.8 % from the road (no seriously, look it up).
He’s not going to win any capturing awards, however that reveals that he’s realized to adapt as he’s gotten older. He’s additionally dependable within the pick-and-roll and will pair properly with Malcolm Brogdon, Marcus Sensible and Derrick White in that regard. Howard isn’t going to pummel you within the paint anymore, however he’s discovered intelligent alternative routes to contribute to successful.
With the Celtics, it could be unattainable for him to be an off-court distraction. You may’t simply stroll right into a workforce with an elite tradition that’s extraordinarily near a title and goof off. He would mix in and contribute, like he did in 2020 when the Lakers received all of it. Individuals overlook that Howard was instrumental in that run, simply two years in the past.
Robert Williams already has Horford as a 1A mentor, however it by no means hurts to have a champion and future Corridor of Famer round. He could also be a little bit of an odd ball, however he’s excelled on the highest stage.
Howard and Horford are each 36, and having the opposite close by would solely function motivation. They could not get espresso, however they’re two guys with a standard objective. You suppose Horford would let Howard slack off? Not an opportunity. Or Ime Udoka? No means.
So possibly you agree the Celtics want an enormous with Howard’s talent set however that Howard isn’t the dude. Properly, actually, it’s fairly slim pickings at this level. Montrezl Harrell is dealing with a felony drug cost, so the Celtics doubtless wouldn’t take an opportunity on him. LaMarcus Aldridge isn’t a real heart and is washed up. Cousins is a legal responsibility defensively and even much less predictable than Howard. Hassan Whiteside in all probability desires extra of a job than he would get and may be very inconsistent. Blake Griffin merely isn’t the man. The Tristan Thompson period would not want a sequel. Neither does the Greg Monroe period, for various causes.
There are different choices, sure, however none of them are significantly intriguing. Get Howard for some front-court depth, play each him and Kornet as wanted and let him show he nonetheless has one thing left. He doesn’t should be Superman. He simply must be Clark Kent.
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