Dwight Howard won’t be donning the shamrock any time soon.
Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Mannix reported Friday that while the Boston Celtics engaged the Houston Rockets in trade talks involving Howard, Boston wasn’t willing to give up the pieces necessary to swing a deal for the eight-time NBA All-Star.
“Howard won’t be going to Boston, league sources told The Vertical, and the reason is simple: The asking price is just too steep,” Mannix wrote. “The Celtics like Howard, believe he can be a cornerstone player but are unwilling to part with any significant assets — including Brooklyn’s coveted first-round pick — to get him. Boston is aggressively pursuing deals and is motivated to add a frontcourt player to its promising young roster, but Howard won’t be one of them.”
The Celtics, who entered Friday tied for the third-best record in the Eastern Conference, boast a deep core of promising young players but lack a bona fide superstar. Howard would fit that bill, but the 30-year-old big man’s age, injury history, price tag and decline in production make him a less-than-desirable choice to be the face of the franchise in Boston.
Howard has played in 41 of Houston’s 52 games this season, averaging 14.1 points — his lowest mark since his rookie year — and 11.9 rebounds per game.
Thumbnail photo via Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports Images
