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Tweets from Chris Mannix, which makes it sound like Howard could end up on any number of teams if he becomes a free agent this summer.:

As nuts as it sounds, rival executives say they believe Orlando will hold onto Howard after the trade deadline. Howard's camp thinks so too.

I'm told Howard prefers going to free agency. Doesn't want a team he is traded to gutted just to get him.

If Howard goes to free agency, throw out the three-team (Dallas, NJ, LAL) list. It's open season for bidding. LeBron, part II.

Two teams sources say tell SI Howard will have interest in: Clippers and Miami. There are cap issues, but the interest is real.

Bulls/Dwight Howard is just not a match. I'm told unequivocally Howard is not interested in signing there.

Just to add a few thoughts:

Dwight is Plan A for many desirable franchises, including the Celtics.

Dwight wants to be where he can win. Which is why he doesn't want to gut his new team.

Dwight wants to be the man, not third option, which reportedly soured him on the Lakers. (Why then would be go to Miami?)

Dwight has eliminated Chicago, which might be not wanting to be second fiddle to Rose, but more likely Adidas keeping their two biggest endorsees out of the same market.

I fear the shoe deal might ultimately guide him to Brooklyn.

If Dwight wants to be the man; a pass first, second, and third point guard like Rondo could be very attractive. You know Orlando-based Doc has already been shmoozing him. Too bad the Celtics don't have one more young star, or they'd be at the top of the list.

The Celtics are not out of this. Wyc, Steve, Danny, and Doc are talking about, "How do we get this guy?" regularly.

I agree: the C's are about where they should be--still trying to figure how they can attract him, but well aware that the odds of succeeding aren't high.

If he goes to Miami, that is the day I stop watching the NBA, and it becomes a joke. I've said that before, but honestly no one should be interested in a league where all the top players just want to play together and no where else with no real competition. NFL would be my favorite league from that point on.

On the open season thing however, this is where I really have a speculation that Boston really has a shot. Rondo is a top PG, great basketball town, great FO and coach, winning attitude and history, and there is also the possibility of getting other guys as well like Josh Smith to go with Rondo/Pierce/Howard. Also, with the possibility of signing KG and Ray for a couple years on minimal deals, maybe 5 each coming off the bench, it becomes attractive.

If he makes it to free agency, we have to get Rondo, Garnett, Pierce, Sugar Ray, Doc, Bill Russell and the gang all plane tickets to Orlando this summer to do some recruiting. I honestly think we have a huge shot at getting this guy if he isn't traded in 3 days.

obviously having capspace helps, since otherwise ORL would have to work out a sign-and-trade with whoever, which costs the other team assets and complicates the whole thing.

so yeah, let doc, paul, rondo, and kg put on the full court press. tell him he's coming to a team with some aging stars who are determined to get another chip. it's completely obvious to everyone in the L that the thing we are really missing is a quality C. even an average center who can rebound and defend and we are already competing with the big boys. adding dwight wiithout giving up anything might make us the faves. and then as paul and kg ride into the sunset, dwight gets to build the team around himself and rondo. great coach, great GM... **** weather and taxes but hey, it's better than playing 3rd fiddle in south beach;)

i think it's a longshot but at this point we don't have a lot of choice. it doesn't look like there's much interest in our guys for a trade around the L, so we might as well just ride this out and see what happens.

Obviously the only way there is any chance of Dwight Howard in Boston is that he can't be traded this week. Call me crazy but I still thing there is a small chance he might consider Boston.

The best way to get him to consider Boston is to win a playoff series or two. Show him that Rondo/Pierce is a formidable tandem, one that can help him win right away, and that Rondo's a good long-term running mate. That the Boston management team is committed to putting star players in positions to win.

I like Mannix, but on this one I don't believe him at least in regards to him going anywhere. Dwight is like Shaq-he wants the limelight.

In front of the entire NBA, we gutted our center position. We were first in the league, with shaq, without perk. When we lost both, we were and still are extremely exposed. Quite frankly our team is being embarrassed when we play the better teams. It's not gutting your team, but by completely eliminating a serviceable center we have opened the proverbial door Howard. He is the type of guy who plays 38-40 minutes every night...you can't have perk on the books AT ALL if Howard is your plan."moves to set up other moves". That has to carry some weight for Howard. We only cleared room for him, not our other positions.

It's like getting a new couch, there's only room for one in your living room. Even if your old one works, you have to get rid of it.before you get a new couch.

cloverleaf wrote:I agree: the C's are about where they should be--still trying to figure how they can attract him, but well aware that the odds of succeeding aren't high.

I agree with this sentiment.

I think that Wyc, Ainge and Doc have a clear perspective that it takes a superstar to build a champion. Howard is the target and I'm sure they've had some conversations with Dwight to get a feel for what type of team he'd like to play on, which types of players best suit his game, personality, etc.

There's no doubt that they'll do whatever they can to land Dwight even if involves trading for players that Dwight wants to play with like S. Jax (not sure on him) or Josh Smith.

I still think that the Celtics have a pretty good shot at convincing Dwight to sign here, even though Brooklyn will likely be his first choice. With the assets that the Celtics possess and the players currently on the roster the Celtics could have a really appealing situation for Dwight, a place to build a legacy and a place to win championships right away.

I think he is a long shot unless we can impress everyone this coming postseason (and even then it helps if KG/Ray are resigning for real cheap) and/or find a way to another exciting young player first. There's just a lot of competition for him. If he becomes a FA, Clippers would seem to make a lot of sense (although they will have to trade Jordan or Butler and Butler may be untradeable). But there are also teams like the Mavs able to make a nice pitch, and another sleeper candidate is the Sixers, who will have the cap space and may just be a good Center away from being a contender. Not to mention if I were in charge of the Magic, I would be more than happy with a D12/Bynum swap.

The problem with Bynum for the Magic, is he can just walk next year, and they'll be right back where they are now with a lesser player.

Yeah, I remember when KG wanted nothing to do with Boston. Oh wait..

All it takes is for Danny to put the right pieces together.

The problem with calling him a longshot is that he is a longshot for just about everyone in the ring right now. Whoever positions themselves with young, but not too young talent the best wins him, imo.

BRUNiNHO91 wrote:If he makes it to free agency, we have to get Rondo, Garnett, Pierce, Sugar Ray, Doc, Bill Russell and the gang all plane tickets to Orlando this summer to do some recruiting. I honestly think we have a huge shot at getting this guy if he isn't traded in 3 days.

ya I agree with this, didn't the Big 3 all show up at Sheeds house and that was one of the deciding factors for him? I think if all those people you listed showed up and poured out there heart and told him money is just money but winning Championships and building/leaving behind a Legacy is priceless and something that will live on forever

Dwight. Becoming a fa is our best shot.

If feel like none of you guys are listening to me. I've been saying this since last year play-offs if Dwight Howard hit the free agent market he will be a Celtics. I think that is the biggest reason Doc Rivers came back to the Cs. You don't hear any links to Dwight coming to Boston and you didn't hear any links to Lebron going to Miami until it hit the market. All you hear was Lebron to New York. All you hear now it Dwight to Brooklyn. Mannix is correct if Dwight hits the open market it will be open season and the Team that can get Howard is Boston. It one reason and the only reason I don't see Boston making a trade unless it's to clear more cap room but I doubt they would trade Pierce for an expiring contract. The plan has been in motion for a long time now. It's the reason why the Cs trade Perkins last season. I'm pretty confident that Dwight will be a Celtics next season.

Don't be too confident - its far from a "done deal". Boston has a compelling pitch to present, but it's not a given. Howard hasn't chosen Boston and there are no guarantees he will, despite the teams assets.

Howard may very well be on NJ next week. We don't hold all the cards.

Slartibartfast wrote:The best way to get him to consider Boston is to win a playoff series or two. Show him that Rondo/Pierce is a formidable tandem, one that can help him win right away, and that Rondo's a good long-term running mate. That the Boston management team is committed to putting star players in positions to win.

This.

I don't care what these journalists say, at the end of the day these superstars really want one thing, a championship ring/s. Whatever team has placed themselves in a position to win at an elite level will draw Dwight's full attention. I think the Cs can take out Indy, Philly, Atlanta and Orlando in the 1st round and take Chicago or Miami to a 7 game series in the 2nd round. If we do that, the chances of getting Dwight via FA becomes exponentially real.

Saying that, Danny needs to make a move or 2 to strengthen our frontcourt by the deadline.