Philadelphia 76ers: Ranking every player on the 2020-21 roster

Ranking every Sixers player #8 — Dwight Howard

Like previous stars past their prime, Dwight Howard is at the point in his career where he has essentially become a key role player on a contender. While the eighth spot certainly seems low for the future Hall of Fame center, it doesn’t mean he won’t play a key role for the Sixers.

In years past, the 76ers defense struggled when Joel Embiid wasn’t on the court. It was somewhat better last year with Al Horford filling the role as backup center, but the year before was horrendous. Despite being near the end of his career, Howard is still a much better defender than Horford, Boban Marjanovic, Greg Monroe, and Amir Johnson were in the past two seasons.

The former three-time Defensive Player of the Year will certainly anchor the second unit’s defense. Offensive he will be running the floor and finishing strong around the rim, whether it be on lobs or offensive rebounding.

Besides being a very good reserve, he will more than likely be starting several games this season. Until Embiid proves he can play for almost a complete season, having an eight-time former All-Star step into a starting role is definitely a win for Philly. Despite being 35-years-old, Howard appears to have something left in the tank, so adding him this offseason was a big steal for the franchise.

— LUCAS JOHNSON