Tacko Fall is out with a hip strain, and that two-week re-evaluation timeline means the 7-foot-6 center is likely missing the entire Sixers preseason. It’s a bummer, even if his Exhibit 10 signing meant he wasn’t expected to play a role for the main club this season, probably heading to the Delaware Blue Coats. From a viewing perspective, it would have been fun to see the towering veteran out there in a Sixers uniform, but that’s off the table with the team’s final preseason game on Friday, October 16.
More Center Woes Emerge
Unfortunately, Fall isn’t the only big man on the shelf. The team’s already dealing with Adem Bona, who suffered a foot sprain while playing for Turkey in FIBA competition this offseason. Coach Nick Nurse updated reporters today saying, “Bona’s not practicing.” The Sixers plan to re-evaluate Bona in the next couple of days, and Nurse hopes he’ll be ready for “a couple of the” preseason games. These injuries piling up at the center spot are nothing new for Philly, but with two guys dinged up, the Sixers are suddenly looking thin down low.
Who Steps Up While Embiid Sits?
With both Fall and Bona sidelined or limited, and the Sixers obviously not wanting to push Joel Embiid in games that don’t even count, we are in for some wild center rotations in the preseason. It looks like free agent signing Ariel Hukporti is set to get a lot of minutes. Coach Nurse probably wants to check out new lineups with Dominick Barlow at the five as well, seeing how new pieces fit together. They gotta figure out what works before the games start counting. The Sixers hit the court for their first preseason matchup on Monday in Philadelphia against the Knicks. That’s gonna be our first real look at who can step up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Liberty Ballers.
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