The Philadelphia 76ers' depth at the center position has been under a microscope since the summer, and it's become even more of a concern now that injuries have caused the team to take a hit already.
Adem Bona has yet to suit up for training camp as he suffered a setback just weeks before the team gathered for Media Day. Two days into training camp, the two-way-hopeful Tacko Fall suffered a hip injury, which will sideline him for some time.
Then, on opening night of the preseason, Ariel Hukporti suffered an Achilles injury, which will end his 2026-2027 NBA season before he can get started. The Sixers have an open roster spot, but they have to make additional moves if they want to sign another center before December.
According to The Stein Line, the Sixers would rather wait it out. The NBA insider relays information from sources that suggest the Sixers are "unlikely" to add a big man on a standard NBA deal before early December. You can't rule out a trade entirely, but you can probably assume that the Sixers aren't going to want to make any big decisions that early on. Remember, a chunk of players aren't even eligible to get moved before December 15.
Good news for Jabari Walker
Being on a contending team without a fully guaranteed deal is a dangerous situation to be in.
When the 76ers have roster questions, Walker is the first player to come to mind. He's only owed $250,000 of his $2.5 million salary unless he's on the team past January 10, 2027. When Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was planning to sign with the Sixers, it seemed like Walker was going to get the boot.
However, the 76ers' front office chose to dump off Johni Broome in a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers instead. It was a move that cleared enough money to complete the Walker acquisition, while keeping Walker's job in Philadelphia safe.
An emergency situation popped up with the Hukporti injury, which might've put Walker on notice for a moment. Thanks to his strong offseason and the 76ers' trust in the young veteran, it seems Walker will buy himself even more time with the roster.
Through three preseason games, Walker has played plenty of minutes, rotating around the front court. The 24-year-old has averaged 12.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. While it's a small sample size, Walker is shooting 50.0% from the field and has hit 41.7% of his threes.
It's unclear what Walker's future looks like beyond that early January mark, but he seems to be in the clear for the time being.
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