“Boston is a great organization,’’ he said. “I also have a good friend in
Marquis Daniels that spent a lot of time up there and who spoke highly of the
organization. So that would be one of the teams I would actually look at if I
had the opportunity to go there.’’Josh Howard Courtesy of Gary Washburn and the Boston Globe
The facts are very simple. If nothing changed in the new CBA, the Celtics
would still have issues in forming their roster. The team will be over the cap
and will need to get themselves some scoring off the bench, a backup point
guard for Rondo, and a center to plays some serious minutes. However, the
Boston Celtics are going to be up against a new collective bargaining agreement
that will probably leave the franchise with even more issues in trying to fill
their holes on the roster. This means the team is going to need to get players
on the cheap. The problem is that those players also need to be quality guys in
order to make a true run at an NBA title. While the Celtics are not as
desirable a destination as they were in 2007-2009, they still are a very attractive
team for possible free agent veterans looking to get their careers on track or
get one final run at glory. One free agent with these kind of credentials has
sent a message to the Celtics. His name is Josh Howard.
The rumors of Josh Howard
being a target of Danny Ainge are well documented. However, Josh Howard has now
made some comments that show Boston is on his radar. Ainge should pounce on
signing Howard the minute the new CBA is in place. I realize Josh Howard is not
the same player that he was during his all star seasons. However, Howard is a
very talented player that could easily fill the role of scorer off the bench.
Howard still knows how to get to the basket and score. He also has a solid mid
range to long range game that would add some serious offensive potential to the
bench. The Boston bench needs to have some punch this season. The “Big Three” are
older and need to have some lift from the bench in order to defeat teams like
Miami and Chicago. The Dallas blue print of shooters and scorers off the bench
is a great model to follow. Unlike the Boston bench that struggled to score,
Dallas had shooter after shooter that provided the Mavericks with a lift on the
way to the NBA title. If the Celtics
resign Jeff Green, Delonte West, and Glen Davis and add a player like Howard,
the bench would have some serious offensive potential off the bench. The team
also would have some nice pieces in young players like Avery Bradley, JaJuan
Johnson, E’Twaun Moore and possibly Gilbert Brown.
Howard knows that he would
need to take a pay cut to arrive in Boston. Yet, he still shows some interest
in coming to Boston. Ainge needs to explore this potential marriage. Howard has
sent Ainge a message. Once the new CBA is done and this lockout ends, Ainge
needs to send Howard a strong message. I hope Josh Howard lands in Boston. Remember
Go Green or Go Home!!!!!!!
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Josh Howard would probably have to take a pay cut regardless of what team he plays for.Josh Howard’s stats show that he’s been on a steady decline the last few seasons. The last thing the Celtics need is another player in his 30′s and his long rang game is LONG GONE.
I am not so sure his long range game is gone. He has been both unmotivated and injured. Reports are that he wants to prove that he can still play for a contender and his motivated for the first time in a while. The team is not going to get a young athletic player that commands a large contract. That mission is for 2012. They need players that can score off the bench. Howard can do that still. The risk is miniscule. If he under performs he gets cut on the veteran min deal that he would be signing.