Poll :Jonas, Lee two firsts for Howard

[KG Living Legend]

 If they twist my arm I'll give the Philly Second rounder, but that's about it.

[Big333223]

I don't want to give creaky, 30 year old, game-built-on-athleticism Dwight Howard a max deal at the end of the season but someone else will. So any trade for Howard is going to be for the next 4 months only. With that in mind, I wouldn't give up much in the way of future assetts for him. Not for 4 months.

[saltlover]

No.  I mean, yes, I'd do it, but I don't think it makes sense unless there's another move as well.  This only further creates a glut at the big position, since Howard would presumably play many minutes while Lee is playing nothing.  Additionally, it creates less depth at the swing position that Stevens likes to utilize, with Crowder the only payer on the roster who fits that role.  It'd pretty much guarantee we play a traditional two-big lineup almost all the time, in an era when most NBA teams are moving away from that alignment.  It makes more sense from a roster balance sense to send one of the younger bigs instead of Jerebko.

[KG Living Legend]

 14 pts 12 boards 1.5 bpg for a year and a half most likely. Is that worth Two Firsts.

[Quetzalcoatl]

I don't want to give creaky, 30 year old, game-built-on-athleticism Dwight Howard a max deal at the end of the season but someone else will. So any trade for Howard is going to be for the next 4 months only. With that in mind, I wouldn't give up much in the way of future assetts for him. Not for 4 months.

Yeah the main concern I'd have with him is signing him to a huge contract after this one is done.  If we're getting him for this year for a playoff push and again next year to devalue the pick we send to Brooklyn to improve our 2018 pick, then that's great.  But if we have to give up real assets and then pay him a ton of money to watch him break down and not win a title, then no thanks.

[crimson_stallion]

Yeah, that's a complete no brainer for me.

i like what Jonas brings, he's plays hard every night and is a nice 3+D guy who can also rebound well.  But I don't believe losing him would have a significant negative impact on the team, and even if it did he can be replaced easily enough in today's league where stretch fours are so common.

Lee has little value to us right now as anything more than a trade chip to match contracts, so losing him doesn't hurt us much.

We already have four rookie prospects we've taken late in the draft (Young, Rozier, Hunter, Mickey) who we  are struggling to find minutes for, so none of our picks have much value to us unless they are top 12 (or at least top 15).  Right now that likely means that any pick that isn't a Broolyn pick probably has more value to the opposing team than they do to us.

Right now we are the 4th seed in the East, and tied with Atlanta for the 3rd seed.  With Toronto 5.5 games ahead even the 2nd seed is, at a stretch, within reach.

It wouldn't take much of an upgrade to this roster for us to really solidify a top 3 seed in the playoffs, and finishing top 3 in the East would IMHO dramatically help out potential as a free agent suitor the next year or two.   I think adding Howard, even with the risk of it being a rental, gives us a very good chance at achieving that.

So giving up Jerebko, Lee and two firsts (that we'd likely not use anyway) is IMHO an absolute no brainer to me.  Howard seems to have matured a lot since moving to Houston, and even despite the age/health concerns he is still easily good enough to be the best true center this team has had since Al Jefferson.

We're talking about a guy who is putting up 14 points, 12 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 32 minutes with an offensive efficiency (1.67 points per FGA) that is absolutely off the charts. 

He only has to take 8 FGA per game to get his 14 points, which makes him an absolutely perfect compliment alongside a guy like Isaiah Thomas...and his ability to score (and defend) in the P&R is invaluable.   

If Dwight can stay healthy come playoff time, then he makes this team a serious contender in the East.  We put up a good fight against Toronto right now, but we are over matched against Cleveland.  With Dwight it makes us a much harder matchup for the Raptors, and it allows is to very seriously go toe to toe with the Cavs. 

More importantly, there's really noting to lose.  If Dwight accepts his player option, then having him and Thomas on the team is a solid foundation that will likely make the team a more appealing destination for free agents. 

If he declines the option then he becomes a huge expiring contract, and the only thing we really loose is Jerebko since Lee's not coming back anyway, and there is about zero chance of those picks being used to bring in a player who has a significant future here.

With Thomas, and Dwight on this team, we will be getting a lot of opposing teams in foul trouble.

[dreamgreen]

I guess I would do that if Danny thinks he can stay somewhat healthy and sign him to a fair extension. Saying that I would be just as happy to pass on him.

[crimson_stallion]

I don't want to give creaky, 30 year old, game-built-on-athleticism Dwight Howard a max deal at the end of the season but someone else will. So any trade for Howard is going to be for the next 4 months only. With that in mind, I wouldn't give up much in the way of future assetts for him. Not for 4 months.

Yeah the main concern I'd have with him is signing him to a huge contract after this one is done.  If we're getting him for this year for a playoff push and again next year to devalue the pick we send to Brooklyn to improve our 2018 pick, then that's great.  But if we have to give up real assets and then pay him a ton of money to watch him break down and not win a title, then no thanks.

Knowing Danny's stretegy with players so far, I very much doubt he would consider giving a long-term max contract extension to a 30 year old guy with significant injury history.

As with Amir, I suspect he would offer him a short term deal at higher money (two years at max, for example) or a long term for less money. 

Thing is, the way this team is playing Dwight would have a serious shot at a title if he stuck around for a couple of years.  With the cap space we are going to have next season and the season after, and with Thomas, Bradley and Crowder still under contract for quite some time, we could potentially add another 1 or 2 max contract guys to this roster even if we give Dwight the max. 

Thomas, Bradley, Crowder, Olynyk, Howard and another max guy - that's a contender.

[Evantime34]

Howard would be a huge upgrade over all our bigs. If he is healthy (assuming the C's would get a physical before doing the deal), he could take our defense to historic levels.

The collective effort of the team would keep him from slipping effort wise.

At that price it makes sense to do a deal.

[Big333223]

Howard would be a huge upgrade over all our bigs. If he is healthy (assuming the C's would get a physical before doing the deal), he could take our defense to historic levels.

The collective effort of the team would keep him from slipping effort wise.

At that price it makes sense to do a deal.

Even if he's going to walk at the end of the season?

[kozlodoev]

How many different polls do we need about Dwight Howard?

[crimson_stallion]

Howard would be a huge upgrade over all our bigs. If he is healthy (assuming the C's would get a physical before doing the deal), he could take our defense to historic levels.

The collective effort of the team would keep him from slipping effort wise.

At that price it makes sense to do a deal.

Even if he's going to walk at the end of the season?

Does it even matter?   

This season having him on the roster makes us an almost certain top 3 seed and an outside shot at making the Eastern Conference Finals.  Even as we are, we'd be a really tough out for Toronto in a 7 game series.  With Dwight, we've got a very real chance of winning that series.  This makes us a very appealing free agent spot.

If he walks after the season then then his not insubstantial $22M comes off the books and we go into free agency coming off a strong season, Brad Stevens and enough money to easily sign two max players - should draw some attention for any free agent thinking about a change in scenery. 

If he takes up his player option, then we go into free agency with the space to sign a max contract player, and the lure of being one star away from a very serious contender. 

I don't think it's a deal we can really lose from.  Worst case we pretty much end up no better off (and no worse off, really) then where we already are.  Best case, we could be playing Cleveland or Toronto in the ECF.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

Can I vote yes but still want to kick Dwight in the face?

[LilRip]

I would do it. IT-Bradley-Crowder-KO-D12 with Smart, Turner and Amir off the bench looks like a legit threat in the playoffs. Like it has ECF potential, with an upset to Cleveland not too far fetched.

[2short]

Can I vote yes but still want to kick Dwight in the face?

I am currently the only kick in face vote but feel free to join