Golden State Warriors Considering Several Former Sixers

The Golden State Warriors are on the hunt for a backup center. It seems they are taking a dip in the pool of former Philadelphia 76ers bigs to fill the void.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Warriors have eyes on four veterans as training camp inches close. Three of the four mentioned prospects previously played for the Sixers.

Dwight Howard was the name that rang bells earlier this week as the former All-Star eyes a comeback to the NBA.

Lately, Howard’s been competing in the T1 League in Taiwan after he failed to garner notable attention from NBA organizations throughout the 2022-2023 NBA season.

Howard served the Taoyuan Leopards well and had fun dominating the competition beyond the big leagues in the states. He even brought some unexpected attention to T1 as he attempted to recruit some of the NBA’s biggest stars, including disgruntled Sixers guard James Harden.

But at the end of the day, Howard wants another shot to resume his role as a veteran backup big man in the NBA — and the Warriors are considering giving him the opportunity to prove he’s still got some gas left in the tank at 37 years old.

“I’m told Dwight Howard will meet with Warriors team officials here soon," Charania reported earlier in the week. "That will include decision-makers, coaches, players. This is going to be an opportunity for him to prove to the Warriors in meetings his mindset and readiness for return to the NBA.”

The last time Howard suited up in the NBA was during the 2021-2022 season. Following one-season stints with the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Sixers, Howard went back to LA for a third time.

Unfortunately, the third time was not a charm, as Howard appeared in 60 games, averaging six points and six rebounds during a season in which the Lakers failed to punch their ticket to the playoffs.

For the time being, it seems Howard is the favorite to land on the Warriors as their next backup big man, but he’s not one of one in the prospect pool.

Former Sixers center Tony Bradley is also going to get a look from Golden State, per Charania. Bradley, who spent just 20 games in Philadelphia during the 2020-2021 season, is still looking to find some stability in the NBA.

Following a three-year run with the Utah Jazz, Bradley was traded during the 2020 offseason to the Detroit Pistons. Before he could even get in contact with anybody over there, the veteran center was informed he would be re-routed to the 76ers.

The Sixers flipped Bradley after he had a small but strong sample size of production during his 20 appearances. Averaging 14 minutes on the court, Bradley accounted for six points and five rebounds per game. With his value increased Bradley was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the deal that landed the Sixers the veteran guard George Hill.

Bradley continued to show promise off the bench for OKC. In 22 games, he averaged nine points and six rebounds while taking up 18 minutes a night. After his quick stint with the Thunder, Bradley signed with the Chicago Bulls. After spending 67 games on the court across two seasons, Bradley’s time in Chicago ended in late February last season. The 25-year-old will get a look from the Western Conference contender next week.

Lastly, the Warriors will consider one of Philadelphia’s most recent veteran centers, Dewayne Dedmon. After a three-year run with the Miami Heat, Dedmon’s frustration throughout the 2022-2023 season led to him getting traded to the San Antonio Spurs at the trade deadline. For a 34-year-old, playing for a rebuilding Spurs squad didn’t make much sense. Shortly after the trade, Dedmon was waived before signing with the Sixers.

It was clear Dedmon was fourth on the depth chart for the Sixers. Behind Joel Embiid, Montrezl Harrell and Paul Reed competed for playoff minutes while Dedmon acquired garbage time in the final games of the season.

He saw the court for eight games. Putting up four points per game and coming down with three rebounds per game, Dedmon didn’t see enough playing time to have an on-court impact for Philadelphia. Golden State will exercise the idea of seeing it differently.