Howard near center of early surge for 76ers

Three days after the last draft, just about when everybody stopped staring, the Sixers quietly signed Dwight Howard for the NBA veteran minimum. The celebration never threatened to skid out of control.

Dwight Howard?

OK.

The same Dwight Howard who’d last played in an All-Star Game seven years ago?

The Dwight Howard who’d hadn’t earned an MVP vote in eight years?

Dwight Howard, whose last Defensive Player of the Year plaque just celebrated its 10th birthday?

The 35-year-old Dwight Howard? Who used to make $23 million a year but had been working in recent years at about a $20 million discount? With the reputation as a player who could be a little grumpy around a clubhouse?

Him?

“I like adding a big,” Daryl