NBA Trade Rumors: Celtics, Hawks Still Possible Dwight Howard Destinations

The Houston Rockets appear to be having a tough time moving Dwight Howard, but there’s still a slim chance he’ll be dealt before the NBA trade deadline.

The feeling among those close to Howard is that he’ll remain in Houston through Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline, Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Mannix reported. But according to Mannix, the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks would be potential destinations for the big man if the right circumstances arise.

Howard's camp feeling Howard stays put, but two possibilities loom: Hawks, if they decide to shake things up, and Boston, if price plummets.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) February 18, 2016

Reports surfaced earlier Thursday that the Celtics have been unwilling to pay “premium prices” to land the likes of Howard or Hawks forward Al Horford. That rationale makes sense, especially in Howard’s case — he turned 30 years old in December and long has faced concerns about his health and work ethic.

But if Houston gets desperate and significantly drops its price for Howard, it’s certainly worth Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge considering making a deal.

UPDATE (2 p.m. ET): Howard coming to Boston is looking like less of a possibility, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski.

Sources: Seventy minutes until deadline — and Dwight Howard remains firmly in Houston. Rockets know how to make deals, so it isn't over.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 18, 2016