3 players unlikely to return with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2021-22 NBA season

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#2 Dwight Howard

Philadelphia 76ers backup center Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard's future with the Philadelphia 76ers could be one of the hardest decisions the organization has to make this offseason. While at the minimum contract level it is hard to find players who can provide value on and off the court, as Howard does, his partnership while on the court with Simmons did not work and he struggles to provide consistency while on the floor.

Simmons staying or going could have a lot of impact on the Sixers running it back with Howard. With the two on the court this season, the team had a net rating of -8.8, while when Simmons was on the bench it was +0.8.

It's never a good thing when your backup center and superstar point guard don't work well together offensively considering neither are shooters.

The Rookie & the Vet. @TyreseMaxey x @DwightHoward🤝 @statefarm pic.twitter.com/gI5sKXEX5W

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 2, 2021

Therefore, if Simmons were to stay or if they brought in a new point guard with a similar style, the Philadelphia 76ers may choose to pursue a secondary center who better fits their system. Especially considering Joel Embiid's injury history.

In their playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, the Sixers were outscored by 12.5 points per 100 possessions that Howard was on the court and had an offensive rating of 89.5.

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#3 Mike Scott

Mike Scott is another Philadelphia 76ers player who becomes a free agent this summer

Another of the Philadelphia 76ers backup big men this season was Mike Scott. Scott, akin to Dwight Howard, is an unrestricted free agent this summer and could be on his way out of the franchise.

His deal is worth double what Howard made, yet Scott had the second-least effective campaign of his career and hardly featured in the playoffs for Doc Rivers' side. He shot the three-ball poorly, at 34% in the regular season, and offered little on the defensive side of the floor.

With the drastic changes the Sixers could make to their roster this offseason, replacing Scott with another free agent such as Doug McDermott or Bobby Portis could be worth a lot more to the franchise. Especially with both players' hustle on defense and minutes they could be afforded in the postseason.

Both Scott and Howard have proven to be crucial voices off the court and fan favorites. But if the franchise wants to make the most of Joel Embiid's greatness, they need to create room for a more effective backup big man.