Mathematics Says Celtics A Great Fit For Dwight Howard

by Jeff Clark on Feb 15, 2012 6:26 AM EST in Boston Celtics News & Links

John Hollinger has been crunching numbers again. This time he looks to see which players would be good compliments to Dwight Howard. Whaddayaknow, the Celtics are actually a very good fit. Math rules!

NBA -- Dwight Howard's potential teammates - ESPN

Rajon Rondo, 61.5; Paul Pierce, 86.4; Ray Allen, 109.1; Kevin Garnett, minus-34.9: You'll notice that Boston's three perimeter players all rate very highly for playing with Dwight, and that even Garnett's mark is pretty solid compared to the other frontcourt players on this list. You have to think this might pique Howard's interest ever so slightly -- he has a great distributor to get him the ball, two deadly 3-point shooters on either wing, and carte blanche to get every defensive rebound. (Incidentally, Garnett, like Griffin, had his 3-point percentage ratcheted down to a more a believable 30 percent from his current 75 percent on four attempts). Of course, this is only one axis of Dwight's decision; age is another, so while Howard may be a nice fit with these four at the present, it's hard to imagine the three elder Celtics lasting very far into a Dwight Howard tenure in Beantown.

Just get to free agency Dwight. Then you can sign with Boston, we'll bring back KG and Ray for cheap 1 year deals, you can make a run at a title and then build a championship contender for years to come in the future.

Of course if you don't choo-choo-choose us, you'll be just another overrated star.

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Our love-hate relationship..

..with Dwight Howard is such good entertainment. It’s like Big Baby commenting on how he had no post moves last season, and then finding out he’s his team mate this season.

Man if he became a Celtic, KG would chew him out in 2 practice sessions flat. And perhaps then, perhaps, we’d finally get over the Perk trade!

Ten bucks says he stays in Orlando though..

by Gehan99 on Feb 15, 2012 6:17 AM EST reply actions

IF....

DA pulls out a mega trade at the last min to get Howard I would literally imagine banner 18 already this year no doubt

by the_truth2034 on Feb 15, 2012 7:01 AM EST reply actions

Think about who we would probably have to give up in that mega trade

There would be no Banner 18 this year (and maybe never) with Howard.

by 34green on Feb 15, 2012 7:56 AM EST up reply actions

best bet is probably to hope he makes it to FA and gets convinced to come here

Then he’s got a stronger shot of getting a strong supporting cast around him.

It would be nice. I’m not going to hold my breath though. I’d rather be pleasantly surprised.

NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.

by mmmmm on Feb 15, 2012 9:42 AM EST up reply actions

????

if we sign Howard or DWill or anybody for that matter,what ability do we have to sign KG&Ray after we’ve used that cap space?It’s not like we could go over the cap.Can they only resign with us at the vet min??
There’s gotta be a rub in using cap space then trying to resign those guys after that space is used up
Help me out

by Motown on Feb 15, 2012 7:38 AM EST reply actions

This is an absolute guess

but I think because Ray Ray, KG and JO are all coming off the books next year because they only have 1 year left on their deals, which combined is $37 mil, we could definitely sign Howard for say $24 mil., and re-sign Ray Ray and KG for the vet min., or maybe even a little more. That would still leave us with at least $5-$10 mil. in cap space. I believe Wilcox would come off the books too, and he’s making $3 mil. I could be way off, so if someone knows, please correct me.

by tmarine17 on Feb 15, 2012 8:39 AM EST up reply actions

Wish this would stop but know it won't

I maintain that I do NOT want Howard! And, yes, I know I’m in the minority.

by 34green on Feb 15, 2012 7:57 AM EST reply actions

Why not?

Explain yourself at least.

Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo in one team is something I would drool for.

by AlexC on Feb 15, 2012 8:35 AM EST up reply actions

excet when it comes to FT%. Eek!

by KY Celts fan on Feb 15, 2012 9:09 AM EST up reply actions

Um, yeah

and we would definitely need a couple outside shooters as well…

by tmarine17 on Feb 15, 2012 9:19 AM EST up reply actions

Ok, I'll explain myself in very few words

Overrated and one of the dirtiest players there is

by 34green on Feb 15, 2012 12:26 PM EST up reply actions

I still think that DA got rid of Perkins

because he knew he was going to go after Howard hard either this year in a trade, or after the season in FA. That’s also why I think he signed Ray Ray and KG to the deals he did a couple years ago because he knew by doing that he woudl have the cap space when it came time for Howard to hit FA. I know that’s a huge gamble, but I have a feeling Howard was working out with Rondo and Doc in the offseason for a reason. That’s just my gut feeling, which has been wrong many times before, but who knows..

by tmarine17 on Feb 15, 2012 8:44 AM EST reply actions

If KG IS back...

then Howard won’t be here, that’s how the math works. I’m not sure he would come here?

Ricky Williams retired....Cue up Bob Marley,
"Excuse me while I light my spliff"...

by Great Gatsby on Feb 15, 2012 8:47 AM EST up reply actions

If KG and Ray Ray accept the vet min (maybe a bit more), then yes, there's a chance.

by AlexC on Feb 15, 2012 8:49 AM EST up reply actions

Why do you say that?

We could afford both? Now I’m not sure how Green would fit into that equation. Is he signed or did we let him walk technically?

by tmarine17 on Feb 15, 2012 8:51 AM EST up reply actions

If they want to waddle

in mediocrity for a decade, by all means bring back KG & Ray Ray.
The handwriting is on the wall..

Ricky Williams retired....Cue up Bob Marley,
"Excuse me while I light my spliff"...

by Great Gatsby on Feb 15, 2012 9:22 AM EST up reply actions

Your kidding right?

If we signed Howard, and brought back KG and Ray Ray, them along with PP and Rondo would win the championship easily next year imo. I’m not saying sign them for multiple years, just a year for a shot at #18. Then, with the 2 draft picks in the first round this year, 1 next year, and some free agents once their deals come off the books after next year, they could build for the future around Howard and Rondo.

by tmarine17 on Feb 15, 2012 9:36 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah, the Perfect Outcome(tm) would look something like

1) We renounce Ray, KG & JO. Bass declines his option.
2) We sign Howard.
3) We sign Jeff Green to ‘chance to rebuild career’ contract.
4) We re-sign Ray & KG to vet min contracts for a chance at a ring.
5) We use our three draft picks.
6) Fill out with minimum contracts.

The roster going into next year could look like:
C DH
PF KG
SF PP
SG Ray
PG RR

Bench: GS, JJ, JG, AB, EM, 3 rookies plus maybe Wilcox and another vet.

The subtle thing about that roster is that i’s actually dominated by youth. Six players under age 23 and 10 (including Howard) would be 27 or younger.

Seven of the 10 would have been 1st round draft picks.

NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.

by mmmmm on Feb 15, 2012 10:17 AM EST up reply actions

No

I am not kidding, KG has spent half his life in the NBA.The window closed after they lost
to the Lakers in the finals. Ray is a maybe, only cuz he is in great shape all the time
it appears. I wish we could say the same for KG & PP!

Ricky Williams retired....Cue up Bob Marley,
"Excuse me while I light my spliff"...

by Great Gatsby on Feb 15, 2012 10:49 AM EST up reply actions

tmarine17

What is this you speak of? About Howard working out with Rondo and Doc in the offseason? That’s the first I’ve heard of this but I always had a strong guy feeling that the higher ups and people on a need-to-know basis already have a deal in place when the time comes that Dwight is up for grabs. From a publicity stand point though it’s obvious why they’d push hard to keep that info confidential and under-wraps, at least being so far ahead of when actually attaining him is a contractual possibility.

by Mikey Bizzle on Feb 15, 2012 9:22 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions

Apparently Howard said it in an interview

http://www.celticslife.com/2011/06/dwight-howard-to-workout-with-rondo-doc.html

Not sure if he actually did, but here’s the link.

by tmarine17 on Feb 15, 2012 9:26 AM EST up reply actions

Here's another

http://www.rantsports.com/boston-celtics/2011/06/16/boston-celtics-rajon-rondo-and-doc-rivers-are-a-possible-lure-for-dwight-howard/

by tmarine17 on Feb 15, 2012 9:29 AM EST up reply actions

To get Howard here....

We’d have to replace one of the “Old Three” with a younger option IMO. Rondo is a start but we still need that second younger All-Star level player to attract Howard.

Personally I’m not even sure I want Howard. He is going to make an absurd amount of money for a guy who isn’t a go to scorer. We will still need someone else to consistently score the ball because that’s not Howard’s game. He’s a great defender and rebounder but he is also mediocre as a low post scorer.

by CelticsFanNC on Feb 15, 2012 9:56 AM EST reply actions

What about Green?

I think Howard could develope into a scorer with some help and I think KG could definitely show him the way. I also think with Ray Ray being in the shape he’s in, he could play for a couple more years, and he would give them the outside shooter to go along with Howard and Rondo. Ray has said he wants to retire a Celtic, so that’s not an issue. Like I said before, after that, you have several draft picks and free agency to rebuild around Howard and Rondo.

by tmarine17 on Feb 15, 2012 10:02 AM EST up reply actions

not sure he'd improve much

Blind people here at CB are always complaining that Rondo hasn’t improved his game since coming into the NBA. How about Hoard who after all this time still doesn’t have a go to move in the low post?

I don’t see him improving much offensively. He is just one of those guys who isn’t capable of putting any touch on the ball for whatever reason. Everything he throws up there from beyond 3 feet is a cinder block and is pretty lucky when it goes in. His footwork is atrocious.

IMO any improvement he would show offensively would be from playing alongside the best pass first PG in the NBA.

by CelticsFanNC on Feb 15, 2012 10:13 AM EST up reply actions

I hear you

but I bet his FG % would go up a lot with Rondo tossing him alley ops!! And, we wouldn’t really need him to be a big time scorer if we surrounded him with that right pieces. Now, after his comments this week about wanting to be the closer on the magic, I’m not sure he would like that to much, but maybe if he’s winning championships, it wouldnt matter..

by tmarine17 on Feb 15, 2012 10:21 AM EST up reply actions

I'm more confident about developing or finding a scorer at the 2-3-4.

Finding solid, long term solutions at the 1 & the 5 is the hard part.

NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.

by mmmmm on Feb 15, 2012 10:24 AM EST up reply actions

this is true

Finding scorers at the other three spots is fairly easy. Rondo/Howard would seem to be a great match as no one can get Howard more dunks then Rondo can.

by CelticsFanNC on Feb 15, 2012 10:29 AM EST up reply actions

If you can put a long, scoring threat next to him at the 4

then you should be able to recreate the same effect we had in the fall of ’10, when KG & Shaq were on the floor with Rondo.

Teams would have to commit to taking one of the two away and Rondo would just oop-pass to the other. Sigh …. man I miss that …

KG for next year? JJ after a year of baking in the oven?

NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.

by mmmmm on Feb 15, 2012 11:03 AM EST up reply actions

not sure

I thought if you used someone’s cap space to sign a FA you could NOT resign those guys…no????

by Motown on Feb 15, 2012 6:46 PM EST reply actions

you have to renounce your bird rights on the players in order to free up the cap space

which means they are then unrestricted FAs. After signing other FAs, you can then still resign them with any remaining cap space or, if you are back over the cap, minimum contracts.

Obviously that usually only works when the player is willing to take a big pay cut.

NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.

by mmmmm on Feb 15, 2012 7:54 PM EST up reply actions