The Philadelphia 76ers' preseason victory was overshadowed by a major injury to backup center Ariel Hukporti, who suffered a season-ending right Achilles tear.
Hukporti went down with a non-contact injury during the first quarter of the preseason opener against his former team, the New York Knicks. The 76ers confirmed the diagnosis of a torn right Achilles tendon. The center, who signed with Philadelphia in July, underwent surgery on Tuesday. His absence for the entire season creates an immediate hole behind star Joel Embiid.
The 76ers are hard-capped and cannot sign an outside free agent until December. This forces them to look internally for immediate solutions. Rookie Adem Bona is now the primary backup center, a role he was competing for anyway. The bigger challenge comes when Embiid inevitably misses games. The team lacks another traditional big man on the roster.
Power forwards Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow will be asked to fill in at center despite giving up size. Walker showed promise in the preseason game after Hukporti's exit, posting 11 points and 11 rebounds in just 19 minutes. The team is also considering converting Tacko Fall's Exhibit 10 deal to a two-way contract for emergency depth, though the 7-foot-6 center is currently injured himself.
Philadelphia's first real chance to address the position externally will come around the NBA trade deadline in early February. The post-deadline buyout market also presents opportunities. The team will need a reliable option who can handle minutes when Embiid rests or is out.
Several names could become realistic targets. Among current free agents, veteran Kevin Love is an obvious choice, though his connection to LeBron James could influence his decision. A potential buyout candidate to monitor is Brook Lopez of the Los Angeles Clippers. The experienced Lopez would offer a proven scoring and defensive presence off the bench and could even start during Embiid's absences.
The injury tests the 76ers' depth early. But losses to the Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, and Miami Heat in late March and early April highlighted consistency issues. Managing Embiid's workload without a trusted backup becomes a more complex puzzle for the coaching staff. Fans can track the team's schedule and any roster updates on our schedule and injuries pages as they handle this challenge.
