Dwight Howard Wants That Boston Championship Swagger
by Jeff Clark on Jan 23, 2012 2:00 AM EST
in Boston Celtics News & Links
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Before you get too excited with that title, read the whole quote.
The NBA’s hurt locker - BostonHerald.com
Instead, Howard is so curious about how the Celtics do business, he’s pumped Davis for information. "He’s always on me to tell him stories about how we won the championship, because he wants to win it," Davis said. "Things are great with him. He’s allowed me to see what kind of person he is. It’s good, because we believe in the same things. It’s a different culture and a different lifestyle on this team, like being in a foreign country from what I know — a whole new country."
Dwight Howard wants to know what it is like to win a title. If he could figure out a way to play with the Big 3 from a couple of years ago, he'd welcome that chance. Instead he's playing with Big Baby and pumping him for war stories.
My guess is that he'll be in Dallas next year. They are clearing the decks for him and have an owner that is willing to spend and has a title belt to wear around the office.
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I doubt he's coming here
But…if he’s gonna leave Orlando, and he wants max money, and he wants to win…we are a great fit. We’ll have more money than any other recent contender to offer. We have an elite PG (the only better ones are CP3, D-Will, and Rose, and only the Nets could really afford him, and they’re terrible). We’ll still have Pierce, assuming he’s not traded, and a healthy Pierce is still pretty damn good. We might even have Jeff Green, who isn’t a bad young player by any means. Dallas? Yeah, Dirk is a great offensive player, but he’s slowing down, and Dallas is aging just like us (without that great young PG that we have). Again, I’m going to assume we have no shot at him, but if Orlando doesn’t trade him, and he decides to bolt, are there really many better (and realistic) spots for him than Boston?
Here's the thing
If we get him… it will be a sign-and-trade. He’ll extend his contract in Orlando so he makes the maximum amount of money possible (starts at 20 million) and then have them trade him to whatever his chosen destination is. Even if all we give them back is a 20 mil trade exception (since we’ll have roughly 20-24 mil in cap space), it will definitely go down as a trade.
So since you know he will inevitably be traded “technically”… it opens up his destination opens a bit. If he decides his chosen desination is the Lakers, I’m sure Orlando would be thrilled to take back Andrew Bynum instead of getting nothing.
I’m not sure Rondo and a 35 year old Paul Pierce are a strong enough sell. If we trade Pierce for a young prospect (example Paul George) and a draft pick… it becomes a much easier sell. "Hey Dwight… we can give you your 20 mil… you’ll be joining Rondo, young prospect X (example Paul George), three first rounders in a loaded draft… and we also have 14-18 mil in cap space that we can use to trade for a guy like Josh Smith or maybe bring back Ray and KG on the cheap… Just tell us who you want… or hey… if you want to convince Deron to come here too, we’ll just flip Rondo to the highest bidder (to Atlanta for Josh Smith, for example)… There are a heck of a lot more options if you can somehow get draft picks, expiring contracts and young talent for Pierce now.
Here's the Thing Reply
I know everyone say we can’t sign DH. I’m not buying it. I’m not saying we will sign him, but I think it’s possible. Boston is a large market team, with great fans, a first class practice facility, everything here is 1st class. Yeah, we have bad weather in the Winter, but it’s not like you are playing outdoors. I wonder if KG and Ray might stay on smaller contract if it meant playing with DH. I wonder if DH would sign for a little less, if it meant filling out a roster with KG, Ray etc.
I guess what I’m saying is, I would like to put him in the line-up we have this year while maybe adding other players via FA, trade, or draft. Is it a pipe dream, maybe but I think if DH makes it to Free Agency, Danny will get a chance to talk to him and sell him on the Celtics. I think the war stories BBD is tell DH only helps our cause.
As for a S&T, I agree, but it’s more like what happened with Bron and Bosh – a trade exception and some draft picks, maybe we send JJ to Orlando.
One other thing, PP’s contract can be renegotiate per the new CBA. His $32M could be spaced out over 4 years, reducing his cap number to $8M. I don’t know the mechanisms for the reno, but saw it listed in the changes to the new CBA.
you can’t add DH and keep KG, Ray, Bass and Jeff Green. It’s not possible. We only have 20-24 mil in cap space and DH would take 20 mil of that. So unless KG, Ray, Bass and Jeff Green all decide to split that 4 million (signing for vet minimums), it’s completely impossible.
Also… you can’t “renegotiate” Pierce’s contract. If you WAIVE him, you can space out his remaining salary. That’s a big difference. He’d be gone from the Celtics since you waived him.
dallas
actually will have the money to sign both howard and deron williams…scary
by craziness@analltimehigh on Jan 23, 2012 2:44 AM EST reply actions
all they have to do is
amnesty marion or haywood and decline odoms option.
howard, dirk, deron, beabois, jones and who ever is left of haywood/marion and this years draft pick isnt a bad start to a team. im sure kidd would return for MLE ($3m) and be a backup, he’s been asking for less minutes anyways. they will have ring chasers jumping a the bits to join that team.
by craziness@analltimehigh on Jan 23, 2012 2:52 AM EST up reply actions
just dreamin...
i know both are resticted free agents but theres no harm in attempting to get these two instead of Dwight… go make a pitch Danny!
Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves – $4.6 million – Restricted ($6.1 million Qualifying Offer)
JaVale McGee, Washington Wizards – $2.5 million – Restricted ($3.5 million Qualifying Offer)
Kevin Love is as LA as it gets. Born and raised. Went to school at UCLA. Grew up loving the Lakers. Favorite player was Shaq. His father was an LA native who played for the Lakers in the 70s. His uncle is Mike Love of the Beach Boys (also cousins with Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson). You can’t be any more Los Angeles than Kevin Love.
No way in hell would that guy come to Boston.
Not so fast there...
Kevin Love wasn’t born and raised in LA. He was born in Santa Monica, but his family moved to Oregon a year later and that’s where he grew up and played basketball all the way up until he graduated high school.
Also, he has some interesting ties to the Celtics that most people might not know about.
He’s said in interviews that some of the players he watched hours of footage of and studied were Bill Walton, Boston’s original Big Three, and Bill Russell. While he was at UCLA in ‘07, he actually stopped KG during a game of pickup in Pauley Pavilion and asked him to show him his footwork. Also, guess who was a close teammate of his in high school? Danny Ainge’s nephew, Landon Ainge.
Now, he probably does has more ties to LA and I know it’s a long shot that we could get him, but I wouldn’t exactly say there’s “no way in hell” that he’d come play for Boston.
by Pork n Beans on Jan 23, 2012 7:32 AM EST up reply actions
Just replying to tell you that Santa Monica is IN Los Angeles. Kinda like Beverly Hills, Brentwood, etc…
Actually, Santa Monica is in LA County, not LA.
They’re completely separate (and very different) cities. Santa Monica’s a super laid-back, beach town. LA’s the metropolis, where most Californians go to enjoy the night life and party it up.
by Pork n Beans on Jan 23, 2012 7:41 PM EST up reply actions
+100
Why not try.
Love with McGee + Allen and Garnett discounted contracts and Rondo, Paul then resign Bass and Pietrus
and also J.r Smith when he comes back from china
Boston Celtics
Mayday Mayday!!!
we are going down!
I repeat we are going down…
eh
Love is an LA guy… born and raised… went to school at UCLA. I’m not sure why people think he’d come to Boston even if Minny couldn’t match.
Silly
why not
Listen we all know what this team has been since 2008 and through it all the defines the words never quit ,not to give up anything it takes to win .And rub everyone the wrong way if you remember KG didn’t even want to play in Boston but Ainge and Mchale was able to change his mind with the Allen trade .Well why is DH 12 any different .He already know what the big three has to offer and also He witness what the whole league did that without some of that teams main core or important role players they never quit or stop finding a way.So why not come to Boston He already know and trust Bass M Pietres And he knows Rondo heart and skills of how to control a game without being a great scorer but a great passer that he would benifit from .and with trade bait and money to spend why not Boston is the best landing spot for DH 12 the head coach lives in Boston and if the keep up on the course that their on know with a deep draft and they holds 3 first round picks and bring back Green who wants to be here along with the reduce cost of the big 3 that would give any team a bench that knows how to win .just think. Allen ,KG ,Pietres,Bass ,Greg S,K Dooling,Moore,A Bradley and J J plus rookie Big out draft.Starters Rondo O J Mayo or JR Smith which ever is cheaper .Paul Pierce, Jeff Green and the prize D Howard this team with Doc chemistry will back in the fold and with great depth again the big 3 will get the last laugh
Why not
I agree with most of your post. But as far as I know we only have 2 1st Rd pick this year -ours and the LA Clips (if not a top 10). But where did OJ Mayo come from? I know he’s in Memphis, but how does he get here? He’s certainly not going to take the $3M exception and I’m personally not interested in JR Smith.
I think DH should play close attention to the way teams play. In LA it’s Kobe’s ball. In Dallas it’s Dirk, and in NJ who really cares, but I guess it would be Deron Williams (that might be a new system). On the Celts, ball movement has been the key to our success. Everyone sharing the ball. That’s certainly not the way it is on most teams. Heck, in Orlando, he might see the ball 5 straight time, score each time, and then not see the ball til the next quarter – it’s time for the guards to score or 3 PT shooters to hoist up their shots. It definitely a different mind set on most teams.
Yeah Dallas seems to be the most attractive.
If he comes to Boston, well and good. But I don’t think we can be frontrunners even if we do sign Howard.
just a thought
But if your love, Gordon or any big time restricted FA. Why wouldn’t you sign a 1 year deal. Allowing you to go anywhere the next season. Both love and Gordon will be highly wanted this off season due to Howard only saying 4 teams have a chance. And another thought, lebron kept saying he would cross the bridge when it comes, never said he wanted to play in only these cities until after his contract was up. Howard hasnt learned a thing. Paul and howard should be viewed in a worse light on how they have handled there situations. And I. hate lebron cause of his view of himself.
JDunn123
Most stars get extended for max or close to max money. It’s for security. You could get hurt playing out your option which is really almost 2 years (the current year and the restricted year). For those that aren’t getting what they feel is a good offer, I agree they should play on a 1 year restricted contract and hit the FA trail.
WELL LETS BE REALISTIC
WE NEVER THOUGHT THAT KEVIN GARNETT AND RAY ALLEN WOULD EVER COME HERE AND THEY’VE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER. SO WE ARE NOT IN ANY POSITION TO SAY WHO WILL AND WON’T COME HERE. AS LONG AS DANNY GIVES THE MONEY TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE THEN WE SHOULD BE FINE.
I never heard Dwight say he doesn't want to play anywhere.
He listed his 4 teams as Dallas, NJ, LA, or Orlando. Think about that for a second, that’s his destinations for a TRADE not where he will necessarily pick as a destination. I think his reasoning being NJ wouldn’t trade D-Will, LA wouldn’t trade Kobe, and DAL wouldn’t trade Dirk. Obviously the ORL thing was just to save face. All those other destinations feature a superstar to play with after the trade.
Consider if he was traded to BOS it would only be with the return of Rondo and one of the big 3 going to ORL. Leaving him with scrubs and 2 of the big 3 that don’t resemble what they used to be and will be even worse next year.
However if he decides to sign here in the offseason we could offer them some draft picks and possibly pieces like JJJ, Moore, Bradley while keeping the entire core of the Big 3 and Rondo together, if KG and Ray are willing to come back on minimum contracts to play for one last title with DH on board.
In that case I believe BOS becomes much more attractive as a destination then through a mid-season trade giving up assets which leave Dwight in a rebuilding scenario next year. Honestly I believe DAL becomes the number one option through FA for Dwight though as they have a core featuring both Dirk and J-Kidd as two aging superstars that will be gone soon enough for Dwight to completely become the face of the franchise, and through a S&T could clear enough cap space to bring in D-Will as well.
Just my thoughts and I personally am not holding my breath for DH to come to BOS, but I completely understand not being on his list of teams to be traded to due to the fact we would have no assets left after trading Rondo and more for him. So don’t completely rule out BOS if he makes it to FA.
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