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Report: Hawks, Celtics secure 1st FA meetings with Howard

Thomas B. Shea / USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks will reportedly get the first crack at wooing unrestricted free agent Dwight Howard, sources told Chris Broussard and Marc Stein of ESPN.

The Hawks are expected to make a run for Kevin Durant, but if that doesn't pan out, they'll consider pairing Howard with fellow big man Al Horford, who's also hitting free agency this summer.

The Celtics were linked to Howard at this year's trade deadline, when they were reportedly shopping the Nets' pick. No deal transpired, so Boston eventually used that No. 3 selection to draft forward Jaylen Brown out of California.

Howard's expected to meet with up to five teams, according to ESPN's sources, with the Miami Heat looming as another potential suitor.

The 30-year-old is coming off his third campaign with the Rockets, but isn't expected to return to Houston after declining his $23.2-million player option for 2016-17.

He scored 13.7 points a game - the lowest since his rookie year - shooting 62 percent from the field this past season. He also averaged 11.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per contest.

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