NBA Trade Rumors: Celtics, Rockets Discussing Dwight Howard Trade?

NBA Trade Rumors: According to reports, the Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics have engaged in trade talks centered around Dwight Howard

For the most part, we’ve all just been waiting for Danny Ainge, the Boston Celtics GM, to pick and make his big move. We’ve been doing this waiting for a little over a year now – ever since he decided to dump Rajon Rondo.

And after rumors of the Celtics pursuing DeMarcus Cousins and Kevin Love, amongst others, nothing has yet happened on that front. With the NBA Trade Deadline a couple weeks away, that could change fairly soon.

Really soon, perhaps. According to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, the Boston Celtics have engaged in talks with the Houston Rockets around a potential deal that would send Dwight Howard to Boston. It’s still not clear what exactly the deal would entail, but the other shoe may be close to dropping.

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"[via New York Daily News]Meanwhile, the Celtics have engaged the Houston Rockets in talks about a possible deal for Dwight Howard, the Daily News has learned. Howard can opt out of his contract this summer, and considering his back and knee issues, it doesn’t make much sense for Boston GM Danny Ainge to use the assets on a player with declining skills and a battered body."

Of course, there are plenty of reasons for this move NOT to happen. For one, as Isola points out, Howard can – and will likely – opt out of his deal after this season in order to pursue financial security this summer on the open market.

Plus, Howard has only played in 40 games this season. He only played in 41 last year. That has to be an area of concern moving forward, especially for an aging big man.

The counter arguments to both of those are, however, that Howard still produces when he’s on the court. Howard still averaged 14 points, 12 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game when he’s on the court. That is something that can’t be taken for granted in today’s NBA. There aren’t many of those types of players still around.

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And even though the NBA is shifting to a more perimiter-oriented game, there’s still a place for Howard in the league, certainly on a team that could be an above-average center away from doing something really special this season.

If this is something that Ainge would like to pull the trigger on, the Celtics do have the means to make a deal happen. They have a bevy of draft picks and/or young talent that would be able to entice Daryl Morey to at least think about tweaking his current roster.

However, how Isola points out, it’s probably unlikely for Howard to be dealt before the trade deadline, especially knowing that he plans on opting out after the season, but there appears to be real interest from the Celtics. And that alone should be something to monitor.