Philadelphia 76ers: Pros and cons of Dwight Howard at center

Cons

The lack of risk renders this category somewhat inconsequential. The Sixers are under go obligation to play Howard, and if things go south, it’s not hard to cut him and look elsewhere. It’s almost all upside.

That said, Howard is presently the only center on the roster behind Embiid. Daryl Morey hinted at potential small-ball lineups built around Ben Simmons — a possibility the Sixers have never fully explored — but otherwise, Philadelphia’s No. 3 center is Mike Scott.

Howard will spend almost all his time next to Simmons. While pairing Simmons with a true lob threat is tantalizing on paper, one must also recognize the major drawback. Neither Howard nor Simmons is a threat outside the paint. Howard won’t even pretend to space, and frankly, neither will Simmons.

Defenses will have no qualms about packing the paint and forcing Simmons to work around it. Philadelphia can offset that with a fast tempo — Simmons is at his best in the open court — but when the offense slows down, there are some inevitable kinks in a Simmons-Howard lineup.

Barring a sudden influx of 3-point attempts from Ben Simmons, the Sixers will need to work around two non-shooters whenever Howard is on the floor. That’s why a stretch big — Dario Saric, anyone? — would be a justifiable use of Philadelphia’s final roster spot.