Ad Disclosure
Sixers Facing Familiar Backup Center Problem Following Ariel Hukporti Injury
By Sean Barnard
Published:
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Despite the additions of LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and about as great an offseason as could possibly be imagined, perhaps the biggest concern with this Sixers team is how they will survive the non-Joel Embiid minutes. It has been a long path of trying to fill this role with names like Greg Monroe, Amir Johnson, Richaun Holmes, Bball Paul, Dwight Howard, Al Horford, and the laundry list of others, each falling a bit short of the expected role.
While the entire outlook of the organization is no longer fully dependent on the former MVP, the lack of depth at the center position is glaring. This is especially the case given that Embiid has not played more than 39 regular season games since the 2022-23 season. There are plenty of positive signs about how he looks physically coming into this season, and I would be willing to bet that he eclipses that mark this year. But the reality is still that the Sixers’ backup center position carries some additional responsibility as essentially a part-time starter.
Ariel Hukporti injury
There were plenty of positive takeaways from the Sixers’ preseason victory over the Knicks, but the most notable news is the non-contact injury sustained by Ariel Hukporti.
It seemed a foregone conclusion when the injury occurred, but it has officially been confirmed to be a torn Achilles and will keep Hukporti out for the entirety of the season.
This is a major bummer for both Hukporti and the Sixers. From Hukporti’s perspective, he signed a one-year contract with the Sixers this offseason with the desire to play an expanded role and re-enter free agency next year. The 24-year-old played just 8.7 minutes per game as a rookie and 9.2 minutes per game last season for the Knicks. This was a chance for his version of a breakout season, and he looked to be the clear leader in the clubhouse for the center minutes that Embiid cannot fill. It is also a bit telling of who Hukporti is as a person to see his former teammates each rush over to check on him last night, especially Karl-Anthony Towns helping carry him off the floor.
From the Sixers’ perspective, there is a clear need for Hukporti on this roster. Whether the gameplan to preserve Embiid is more based on limiting minutes on a night-to-night basis or him continuing to miss back-to-backs and other stretches of play, there are minutes at the center position that need to be filled. The quality of depth at the big man spot was a concern before this injury, and taking away the top option further worsens this outlook.
Other roster options
The player who will be looked at as the clear favorite to take on the bulk of the non-Embiid minutes is Adem Bona. Both Hukporti and Bona have relatively similar skill sets at the big man spot. Each player makes the bulk of their impact felt doing the grunt work of rebounding at a high rate, generating their offense via put-backs and lobs, and screening opponents in the flow of offense. While Hukporti is not a finished product in this area either, there is a level of offensive polish and overall decision-making that has not fully clicked with Bona just yet.
Bona suited up for 74 games last season and made 18 starts for the Sixers. He posted averages of 4.8 points. 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game across his 17.4 minutes per game. It’s also worth noting that he has battled some injury issues in the early stages of training camp and preseason. Bona suffered a left foot sprain while suiting up for Turkey in the FIBA World Cup. There does not seem to be a concern that this will carry into the season, but the fact remains he has not been cleared for practice yet and missed the opening preseason game. These are valuable reps for Bona given the level of roster turnover that has occurred for the Sixers.
One player who has made the most of the training camp reps has been Jabari Walker. After initially joining the Sixers on a two-way contract last year and playing his way to a standard deal, he had a legitimate case for being the best rebounder on the roster last year. As Philadelphia battled their salary cap issues this offseason, releasing Walker on his non-guaranteed contract was an obvious solution that they chose not to take. This speaks to the level of belief in the organization surrounding him, and Walker impressed in the preseason opener by scoring 11 points, leading the team with 11 rebounds, and added a steal and a block while shooting 3-for-5 from beyond the three-point arc. It is especially noteworthy that he has clearly put some work in on his jump shot, as the form looks much quicker compared to what was seen last year. Standing 6-foot-7, he is a bit smaller than you would hope for the center position but plays bigger than his size and has some real skill as a rebounder.
Dominick Barlow had a similar path to Walker last year, starting the year on a two-way contract before earning a role as an opening night starter. He was eventually upgraded to a standard contract and finished last season with averages of 7.7 points and 4.8 rebounds across his 23.8 minutes per game. Barlow is a bit lacking in his overall frame, but stands just shy of 6-foot-10 and is an incredibly high-IQ basketball player. He earned some clear trust of Nick Nurse throughout this season and also showcased a reworked jump shot on social media this summer. Unfortunately, Barlow has been limited in training camp to this point due to some tightness in his back. This is another situation where the issue has been downplayed whenever it has been asked about, but it is still worth noting.
Perhaps the clearest path to having team success at the backup center spot is playing without a true big man at all. LeBron James is one of the most versatile players in NBA history, and the vision of him serving as a center in certain lineups is clear. Some of the most effective offense we will see this year from the Sixers will involve James getting the rebound himself and unlocking Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Jaylen Brown in transition. Each of these Sixers stars are some of the most effective transition players in the sport, and putting James in a more favorable position to launch this could work favorably. Dean Wade has also opened some eyes with his size and frame. Wade tied a career high with 14% of his minutes last year spent at the center position. He also could be leaned on as an option and should largely be viewed as the most important glue guy of this Sixers bench unit.
Why external is not an option
The Sixers are entering the season with an open roster spot, which could be the solution to this problem down the line. But due to the amount of money they had to commit to accomplish their offseason, they do not currently have enough salary cap space under their hard-capped first apron to sign another player. Contracts become prorated as the season begins, and they will eventually be able to utilize the roughly $1.8 million they have available. But this likely will not be possible until around December.
If they want to add a player now, the Sixers could theoretically waive Walker to make room and clear some space. But it feels like if they had any level of interest in doing this, it would have happened already, and there is fair reason for optimism around his outlook. Philadelphia could target a more traditional big man with their vacant two-way slot, but this requires the player to have three or fewer years of NBA experience. Given the start of the season being right around the corner, there is a chance for a player to have slipped through the cracks and be desperate for any opportunity. But don’t expect this to be a world-shattering name.
The Sixers will also be careful to preserve as much financial flexibility as possible. There have been no mixed messages about this team holding championship aspirations, and this will be a destination for plenty of veterans looking to chase a ring. Kevin Love has already been a player theorized to be a potential name that could have interest and remains unsigned.
This is disappointing news for the Sixers and one that changes the outlook for the season a bit. But there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this team, and this is a hurdle the team can find a way to clear. The Hukporti era in Philadelphia may be over before it started, but all goals for the season do not change.
Sean Barnard has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and general Philly Sports for over six years in a variety of roles and for multiple outlets. Currently works as a Content Writer for DraftKings Network, Sixers/NBA Insider for Philadelphia's Fox Sports the Gambler, and co-host of Sixers & Phillies Digest on Youtube. Forever Trusting the Process.