Philadelphia 76ers: 5 takeaways from 2020-21 preseason

Sixers preseason takeaway #3: Dwight, the glue guy

One of the preseason’s greatest revelations has been Dwight Howard‘s leadership qualities. He is taking young guys under his wings, sending out all the right messages to the media, and coaching up Joel Embiid behind the curtains. He looks like the steadfast veteran presence Philadelphia never quite had last season.

That’s somewhat surprising given the rocky history of Dwight’s personality. For years, his ego held him back. He struggled to buy into smaller roles and accept the consequences of aging. Now, at 35 years old, Howard has fully embraced his duties as a mentor. He feels like the most important voice in the locker room right now. He’s not, but the praise from teammates and coaches has been profuse.

Also, on the court, the early returns on Dwight are quite positive. The Sixers haven’t had a consistently playable vertical threat since Nerlens Noel. Howard can protect the rim in Embiid’s stead, and he’s already forming a nice offensive partnership with second-unit star Shake Milton.

Howard stepped into the starting five against Indiana and filled Embiid’s shoes admirably. Obviously, the Sixers need Embiid to do anything, but by the same token, they need to survive the minutes (and games) Embiid doesn’t play. Howard looks like he can help in that department.