NBA free agency: Dwight Howard to meet with Celtics, Hawks
Dwight Howard is set to meet with four teams, two of which are the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks.
NBA free agency 2016 has been fast and furious. Teams are throwing around huge contracts for players who normally wouldn’t generate big paydays. This is due to the salary cap increasing by about $20 million for the 2016-17 season.
One position that has benefited is center. Timofey Mozgov is set to get a big deal from the Lakers, and Joakim Noah is probably going to be paid a lot of money by the Knicks. The next beneficiary may be Dwight Howard, as Chris Broussard of ESPN is reporting that the former No. 1 overall pick is set to meet with four teams, two of which are the Hawks and Celtics.
Dwight Howard meeting w/4 teams, 2 being Atl & Boston. He will hold meetings in Atl July 1, then in Las Vegas July 2, says a league source
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) July 1, 2016
If the Hawks lose Al Horford in free agency, Howard would make some sense as a replacement. He’s from Atlanta, so a hometown reunion could be in the works.
The Celtics are an interesting option as well. They don’t have plenty of depth at center with Kelly Olynyk and Amir Johnson manning most of the minutes. If signed, Howard would provide a steady presence below the rim and could still provide double-digit numbers. He’s also going to require probably around $20 million per year, so if the Celtics are willing to give that to pair him with Isaiah Thomas and No. 3 pick Jaylen Brown, they need to be sure the investment is worth it.
Where Dwight Howard goes will be interesting to follow. He needs a fresh start after three up and down years with the Houston Rockets, so this may be his chance.
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