ESPN Experts - On possible trades

[Big333223]

So reportedly Dwight Howard is unhappy and wants to be traded..... again.

Pass on Dwight. I had doubts about his maturity and passion before he ended up in Houston. I have no doubts now, he's never going to be a guy you can build a team around.

Orlando had a pretty strong Finals team built around Dwight in '09 and I still say Derrick Rose has Dwight's MVP award from '11, but I agree that Dwight is a big pass.

He's a 30 year old on a 3 year decline and his game was always built around his athleticism, not his skill.

[Celtics4ever]

I see no reason to believe we can't be a player in free agency.   Celtics are a prestige franchise.  Nationally they have one of the 5 largest fanbases.  It's not a small market.   They have an elite coach, an elite front office, should make the playoffs and could even threaten to win close to 50 games this year without a single star.   Every top-level free agent should be taking our calls.

1.   Weather
2.   Taxuschussetts
3.   No history of land big free agents
4.   Not exactly a media center for those who wish to rap or make movies

[oldtype]

I see no reason to believe we can't be a player in free agency.   Celtics are a prestige franchise.  Nationally they have one of the 5 largest fanbases.  It's not a small market.   They have an elite coach, an elite front office, should make the playoffs and could even threaten to win close to 50 games this year without a single star.   Every top-level free agent should be taking our calls.

1.   Weather
2.   Taxuschussetts
3.   No history of land big free agents
4.   Not exactly a media center for those who wish to rap or make movies

Quality free agents want to go where they can win. Winning is what gets you a higher profile, more endorsements, and more money. These things do not just magically fall into your lap because you happen to live in NY or LA. Besides, everyone travels during the season and moves to LA for the offseason anyway.

If we can provide a winning situation, the free agents will come. If they're not going to come because of 5% MA state taxes or being a bit cold for the few hours they spend outside of their home/car/the gym in Boston every winter, why do we want them in the first place?

[alewilliam789]

I think we will be able to land Dwight for a very cheap price because he's claimed hes opting out of his contract. I believe if we center this team around him without giving up too much for him, then I think  we honestly could get to the ECF. We draft Brandon Ingram from Duke with the 3rd overall pick. If we go far in the playoffs I believe we can sell Dwight on staying.

2016 Starters:

PG: Isaiah Thomas
SG: Avery Bradley
SF: Brandon Ingram
PF: Jared Sullinger
C: Dwight Howard

That's a really good team!!

[iadera]

I think we will be able to land Dwight for a very cheap price because he's claimed hes opting out of his contract. I believe if we center this team around him without giving up too much for him, then I think  we honestly could get to the ECF. We draft Brandon Ingram from Duke with the 3rd overall pick. If we go far in the playoffs I believe we can sell Dwight on staying.

2016 Starters:

PG: Isaiah Thomas
SG: Avery Bradley
SF: Brandon Ingram
PF: Jared Sullinger
C: Dwight Howard

That's a really good team!!

Good, but not great. And we want more than good.

[SparzWizard]

Orlando surrounded Dwight Howard with 3-point specialists, which led them to deep playoff runs.

Why don't we just copy that blueprint since most of our guys can shoot 3's efficiently? Thomas, Bradley, Smart, Crowder, Olynyk, Sully, and Jerebko can all be some deep threats.

Add in rebounders like Dwight and facilitate him with Amir Johnson, Sully, and David Lee. What a nice roster lol.

[spikelovetheCelts]

Orlando surrounded Dwight Howard with 3-point specialists, which led them to deep playoff runs.

Why don't we just copy that blueprint since most of our guys can shoot 3's efficiently? Thomas, Bradley, Smart, Crowder, Olynyk, Sully, and Jerebko can all be some deep threats.

Add in rebounders like Dwight and facilitate him with Amir Johnson, Sully, and David Lee. What a nice roster lol.

Dwight's a loser and not a closer.

[kozlodoev]

Orlando surrounded Dwight Howard with 3-point specialists, which led them to deep playoff runs.

That was before folks figured out that you don't have to double-team Howard. Also, he's 8 years older now.

[littleteapot]

Orlando surrounded Dwight Howard with 3-point specialists, which led them to deep playoff runs.

That was before folks figured out that you don't have to double-team Howard. Also, he's 8 years older now.

He scored 20PPG in the playoffs at a great percentage with Orlando, so apparently you did have to double him.

[number_n9ne]

If anyone wouldn't give up Lee, Zeller, and either our own or the Dallas 2016 1st for a Howard test run.... they crazy. We can't use 4 1st round picks this year... We just used 3 last year! Lee and Zeller are playing awful. Boston could rejuvenate Howard's career and he could become a legit part of recruiting free agents!

[PhoSita]

Our team would undeniably be better with Dwight on it.

"He's not a closer," "You don't have to double him," "He's not a superstar," "He's a clown," whatever ... these are beside the point.

I don't think it'll happen, but if you could trade marginal value (e.g. Lee, Sullinger, Zeller, a mid-to-late 1st, that sort of thing) and add him to the team, that's not a hard decision.

[MBunge]

Howard is 30 and is never going to be what people thought, but he's still a better rebounder and shot blocker than anyone on the Cs and while his scoring has plummeted, that's clearly the result of not getting touches.  Howard is only shooting about 5 free throws a game, the lowest since he was a rookie.

There's no way you give up a Brooklyn pick but a young player, some matching salaries, first rounders this year from the Mavs and Twolves and 3 of the 4 second round picks we have this year sounds good.

Mike

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I agree that Howard would be a talent upgrade. And I think he would improve the team in certain ways. But he's self-destructed at every stop he's made, and I don't want to hear complaints about lack of touches from a guy who can't shoot outside of 6 feet and also has almost no post game.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Howard is 30 and is never going to be what people thought, but he's still a better rebounder and shot blocker than anyone on the Cs and while his scoring has plummeted, that's clearly the result of not getting touches. Howard is only shooting about 5 free throws a game, the lowest since he was a rookie.

There's no way you give up a Brooklyn pick but a young player, some matching salaries, first rounders this year from the Mavs and Twolves and 3 of the 4 second round picks we have this year sounds good.

Mike

At his percentage, that's 5 too many. 

[Evantime34]

Dwight Howard's playoff averages the last two years
26/13.7/2.8 (blocks) on .547 shooting in 2014
16.4/14/2.3 on .57 shooting in 2015

He would be a huge improvement from any player in our big man rotation.