The Philadelphia 76ers have already been dealt a major blow during the preseason, as a significant injury occurred in their opening game. Philadelphia was already thin at the center position, and the injury only made matters worse.
Ariel Hukporti went down with a non-contact injury against the New York Knicks. It was later confirmed that he had torn his Achilles tendon, ruling him out for the season.
“An MRI confirmed Tuesday that Ariel Hukporti suffered a torn right Achilles tendon Monday in the preseason opener, according to the Sixers. Hukporti will undergo surgery later today. Further updates will be provided as appropriate, the team says,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin posted.
Joel Embiid is expected to remain the starting center. However, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins believes LeBron James will have to spend a significant amount of time playing the position.
“I didn’t like the way that Joel Embiid looked last night. I didn’t like the way that he was getting up and down the floor…to me, he wasn’t moving well, which pointed to me that says LeBron James is gonna play a lot of center position this year. LeBron James is gonna have to and guess what? The Philadelphia 76ers actually could win the Eastern Conference this year, and make it to the NBA Finals with LeBron James playing majority of the center position,” Perkins said.
There is some hope that the 76ers can find additional help at the position, but their options are limited. NBA insider Brett Siegel explained that the team will likely stick with its current roster for now because of its financial constraints.
“The biggest issue is that [the Sixers] are $1.8 million from their first apron hard cap… Can they just add somebody else? They can’t… They can waive Jabari Walker… They could trade Hukporti’s contract to go after a guy like Mason Plumlee or Bismack Biyombo… But it seems like they’re gonna keep this roster as is heading into the season,” Siegel said.
This is not the position Philadelphia wanted to be in, but its financial restrictions make adding another center difficult. James could fill in at center early in the season, but relying on the 41-year-old to handle those responsibilities for an extended period could eventually take its toll.
The 76ers remain excited about the upcoming season, but they will have to continue evaluating their roster options. For now, Philadelphia appears likely to begin the season with its current group, despite the lack of depth at center.
