It’s no secret that Dwight Howard isn’t approaching the overwhelming power of the past.
He is no longer one of the best defensive players in the NBA. He is no longer a threatening Rob threat. He is no longer Superman. Age is his Kryptonite and he is nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career.
With that in mind, by keeping expectations low, he Celtics As a low-risk, medium-reward acquisition. As the roster is currently standing, there is a lot of pressure on Al Horford and Robert Williams to record heavy minutes. Both can do it as needed, but it’s a good idea to rest as much as possible during the regular season so that it’s fresh for the playoffs.
The Celtics can turn to Luke Kornet at 5 o’clock outside Horford and Williams. Check out what Fion de Cabengere offers, or make it smaller, centered around Grant Williams, Danilo Gallinari, and even Jayson Tatum. In honor of Luke Cornet, none of these situations scream for the championship.
Cornett has a decent touch around the rim, makes sound decisions and doesn’t play selfishly, but he’s a little defensively responsible and not necessarily a threat to the rim. Of course, if Horford and Robert Williams stay healthy and don’t record too heavy a workload, everything will be rosy, but the Celtics can’t rely on it.
They have three open roster spots. It makes sense to bring in a guard with an outside shot (Matt Ryan?), A forward (Justin Jackson?), And a backup big. With the $ 17.1 million trader exception officially expired, it seems unlikely that you will spend a significant amount of money on any of the three.
If you don’t need a lot of money and are looking for another championship and have a player who meets one of those needs … oh wait a minute. There is.
Howard does not have the same burst, but still thrives as a Celtics shot blocker and rim protector. He’s one of the best defensive players in NBA history, and it would be beneficial for him to pick up even the shell of a former player.
The Celtics, on the other hand, are the NBA’s best defensive team, see DeMarcus Cousins. Howard may have lost a step, but he has not been completely washed away. He averaged 6.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 0.6 blocks and 0.6 steals in just 16.2 minutes per game last year. Lakers..His field goal rate of 61.2 (mainly dunk) exceeded his career mark and he shot 53.3 percent from the 3-point range and 65.8 percent from the line. (Not a serious story, check it out).
He isn’t going to win a shooting award, but it shows that he learned to adapt as he got older. He is also reliable in pick and roll and in that respect can be successfully combined with Malcolm Brogdon, Marcus Smart and Derrick White. Howard is no longer going to hit you with paint, but he has come up with a clever alternative to contributing to victory.
In the Celtics, it would be impossible for him to distract outside the courtroom. You can’t step into an elite culture team that’s very close to the title. Like the Lakers in 2020, when they won everything, he blended in and contributed. People forget that Howard was instrumental in doing that just two years ago.
Robert Williams already has Horford as a 1A mentor, but being inducted into the Champion and future Hall of Fame will never hurt. He may be a little weird ball, but he excels at the highest level.
Both Howard and Horford are 36 years old, and having the other close is only a motivation. They may not drink coffee, but they are two men with a common goal. Do you think Horford loosens Howard? It’s not a chance. Or is it Ime Udoka? No way.
So you might agree that the Celtics need a big one in Howard’s skill set, but Howard isn’t a man. Well, to be honest, it’s pretty slim picking at this point. The Celtics probably won’t give him a chance, as Montrezl Harrell faces a felony drug charge. LaMarcus Aldridge is not the true center, it is washed away. Cousins are defensive responsibilities and are more difficult to predict than Howard. Hassan Whiteside probably wants more roles than he gets and is very inconsistent. Blake Griffin is not just a man. The era of Tristan Thompson does not require a sequel. Not so in the days of Greg Monroe for a variety of reasons.
There are other options, but none are of particular interest. Give Howard the depth of the front court and play both Howard and Cornett as needed to prove that he still has something left. He doesn’t have to be a superman. He must be Clark Kent.
