By now you’ve heard most of the theories about Danny Ainge’s free agent plan… sign a guy like Al Horford, beef up the bench a little, and try to convince Kevin Durant that his path to a championship runs through Boston.
Well, it turns out that theory is becoming a reality.
If the Hawks are unable to thrust themselves into the Durant bidding, sources say that one countermove Atlanta is weighing strongly is the free-agent pursuit of Atlanta native Dwight Howard to play alongside Horford in the frontcourt. Howard will become a free agent Friday after declining his $23 million player option next season with the Houston Rockets.
The Hawks, of course, face a stiff challenge in trying to retain Horford, who sources say is expected to draw free-agent interest from a number of teams, including the Lakers, Rockets, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets.
Funny thing about this list, though…
Worth noting: Celtics are only team on @ESPNSteinLine‘s list of Horford suitors that also have free agency meeting setup with Durant.
— Brian Robb (@CelticsHub) June 28, 2016
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The Hawks are in a rough spot, and it’s going to be hard for them to convince Durant to join an aging core that might need to be re-tooled before his contract is done.
And, as was mentioned on our latest Locked on Celtics podcast, the Celtics, as currently constituted, aren’t quite good enough to sell Durant on a “hey, you’re our missing piece” pitch. They intrigue him, I’m sure, because (a) Brad Stevens manages to get everyone’s best out of them and (b) the only true challenger in the East would be Cleveland rather than the gauntlet at the top of the Western Conference.
Adding Horford to the mix, though, could make it easier on Ainge to make his pitch. Unlike most teams, Boston doesn’t really have to change their roster in any meaningful way to accommodate Durant. He’ll have Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley, and Marcus Smart. Maybe Jared Sullinger or Amir Johnson leave in favor of Horford, but the point remains… the chemistry won’t have to be destroyed to add Durant. Horford and some other upgrades in bench talent make things look much more attractive.
Of course, Horford has to say yes. He’s not signaled much inclination to leave. Ainge, Stevens, and the rest of the Celtics brass are going to have to their best sales pitches at the ready. We’re only a few days away from seeing how they work.
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