Dwight Howard (Photo : The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics chance to contend for a title may become more legitimate if the team lands Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard before the Feb. 18 trade deadline.
Fox 26 Houston claimed that the Rockets are talking with teams in an attempt to trade away Howard and that the team are already at the "beginning stages of the process."
Howard has been the center of several trade rumors, with Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports claiming reports talks that the All-Star big man is likely to opt-out of his contract next summer when the NBA's new TV deal kicks in.
"Howard, 30, plans to exercise an opt-out in his contract this summer to become an unrestricted free agent, and uncertainty surrounding the commitment both sides are willing to make has pushed Houston general manager Daryl Morey toward seeking potential trades on the market," Wojnarowski wrote.
There are arguably plenty of potential suitable packages for the Rockets in trading Howard. But the most ideal and realistic landing spot if Howard does indeed gets traded is the Celtics.
According to Bobby Marks of The Vertical, the Celtics have the best chance of snatching Howard this season. Marks noted that the Celtics could gamble in acquiring Howard, yet still preserve their core roster if D12 decides to walk away in the summer.
In Marks' trade scenario, the Celtics give David Lee and Jonas Jerebko, along with two 2016 first round draft picks, to the Rockets for Howard and Montrezl Harrell.
"Acquiring a player like Howard without moving any of their core pieces would make the Celtics a dangerous out come the spring," Marks wrote. "This deal would not hurt the Celtics in the summer if Howard does decide to walk. Boston would have the same cap space if it would have kept Lee and Jerebko, just minus two first-round picks in the mid 20s."
Howard may not be the superstar Celtics have been looking for, but he is no doubt a better upgrade over any of Boston's frontcourt rotation. Add in Harrell, a talented youngster, the Celtics would see themselves beside the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, which means a better chance for an NBA title.
