Dwight Howard Rumors: Philadelphia 76ers a Viable Option?

During a recent interview with Philadelphia radio station 94 WIP, ESPN contributor Stephen A. Smith discussed the possibility of Dwight Howard bringing his elite talent to Philadelphia this summer.

Howard would be an ideal fit for a Philadelphia squad in search of a true leader and a dominant scorer. With a growing young core and established wing players, Howard could be the piece that could propel the Sixers into the category of Eastern Conference elites.

Smith said:

“What you really, really need is something like Dwight Howard. He needs to put the Sixers on the list of teams he wants to go to. So what the city needs to do, and what the organization needs to do, is to go out there and remind everybody that Philly is a big time sports town. And this is some place a star should want to consider coming to. Because they haven’t put Philly on the list of their desired destinations."

After all, Philadelphia is the country's fourth-largest media market, and we've seen in the past how the city reacts to premier star talent on the basketball court.

Philadelphia fell in love with Allen Iverson from the moment he was drafted in 1996, and ever since his departure fans have been clamoring for the return of an elite talent on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

Howard would seem to be the complete package. He's a three-time NBA defensive player of the year, a six-time all-star and he's not afraid to get physical in the post. While he appears to be a jokester, Howard is a true competitor and his grit and determination would send the city of Philadelphia into an absolute frenzy.

According to this article from SLAM, one of the players that Howard is interested in teaming up with is Sixers forward Andre Iguodala. If that is indeed the case, then the Sixers would appear to have a better shot at signing Howard than originally believed.

The move to acquire Howard would most likely require dumping some of the team's hefty contracts, and the ones that instantly come to mind are the contracts of Elton Brand and Andres Nocioni. While everyone seems to be focused on Howard heading to Los Angeles, New Jersey or Dallas, the Sixers may be the dark horse who surprises everyone.