Philadelphia 76ers fans may want to start bracing themselves now, because Dwight Howard is the kind of former big man who does not quietly fade away.
Howard announced this week that he plans to keep playing overseas with Black Fortress Tbilisi of Georgia’s Superliga, even after officially declaring his retirement in March. So while the paperwork said one thing, the basketball reality says something else: Howard is still out there, still active, and still likely to spend plenty of time looking toward Philadelphia.
That should sound familiar. Over the years, Howard has made a habit of publicly nudging teams on social media, including the Los Angeles Lakers, where he had three separate stints and a strong connection with LeBron James.
Now James is no longer in purple and gold. He signed a two-year deal with the Sixers this summer, and that alone makes this whole thing feel a little less far-fetched than it should.
Howard also has a positive memory from his own one-year run in Philadelphia, which only adds fuel to the idea that he could circle back and try to sell himself to the Sixers again. He’s already one of the best centers of his generation, a Hall of Famer with a resume that doesn’t need much embellishment. But that doesn’t mean the reunion pitch isn’t coming.
Still, the fit is hard to sell as anything more than a long shot. Howard is one year younger than LeBron and, by all appearances, still in great shape, but Philadelphia can’t afford to gamble on players deep into their careers. His previous stint with the Sixers included some useful minutes, but it was never a defining stretch.
During that season, Howard came off the bench in all but six of the 69 games he played. He averaged 7.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and nearly 1.0 blocks in 17.3 minutes per game. In the playoffs, those numbers dipped to 4.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game.
Howard played one more season after that alongside LeBron and the Lakers, and since 2022 he has not played on a basketball court outside of his Taoyuan Leopards venture.
The Sixers do have some uncertainty behind Joel Embiid at center. Andre Drummond is now with the New York Knicks, while Philadelphia added Ariel Hukporti and continues to bank on Adem Bona’s development.
If the team finds room for a 15th roster spot, a center would make the most sense. For now, though, the Sixers are expected to stay patient - which gives Howard plenty of time to start campaigning.
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