76ers may have to accept a risky solution to their newest roster crisis

The Ariel Hukporti injury could not have come at a worse time for the Philadelphia 76ers. With the team already having flimsy depth at the backup center position, the newcomer is now out for the season. Unfortunately, the front office is unable to make an outright signing for his replacement given due to first apron restrictions, meaning that the team will have to rely on internal development to address the question about their cushion behind Joel Embiid.

As outlined by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the 76ers are entitled to a $1.7 million disabled player exception in view of Hukporti’s season-ending injury. However, because of the first apron, the team cannot sign another player even though they also have an open roster spot. For now, what they have under their disposal is one more two-way spot.

In that case, the 76ers have no other choice but to make do with what they currently have on the roster.

The 76ers are forced to bank on internal development to fix center issue

The team’s depth behind Embiid has been a perennial problem year after year, and this season seems to not be any different. Now that Hukporti is out of commission, the team will have to bank on the troika of Adem Bona, Dominick Barlow, and Jabari Walker to help keep the team afloat whenever the former MVP hits the bench or gets sidelined altogether.

Well, that is quite the grim proposition, at least to start the season. Only Walker –– who is more of a natural power forward –– has gotten reps this preseason. Bona and Barlow are both injured and have yet to suit up on the hardwood, and they are going to be rusty when the regular season begins. They are already facing a deficit in their ramp-up to actual court action.

Had the 76ers been equipped with the necessary financial machinery to make another signing, the front office would have been able to mitigate this backup center crisis right after the Hukporti news came out. Instead, the team is precluded from tapping into external help to shore up their depth at center and will be forced to rely on uncertain developments from their current crop of big men.

Walker has been impressive so far, but if an undersized big man is the only feasible choice at this point, that will be far from ideal. After all, there are certain matchups where he might not be a viable choice to spell Embiid off the bench.

This is a dicey proposition to bank on, but the 76ers better hope that their big men off the bench steadily improve this season with utmost immediacy. Otherwise, the team’s bolstered lineup could get sabotaged by their lack of playable bodies behind Joel Embiid.