The Philadelphia 76ers are thin in depth at the center position. Their latest roster move causes the position to take another hit, as the second-year veteran center Johni Broome was moved in a trade.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Sixers are sending Broome and a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers. In exchange, the Clippers are sending back cash considerations. It's a logical move for the Sixers as it keeps them under the first and second aprons, while adding Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the roster.
Over the weekend, the Sixers cut ties with the veteran Dalen Terry, who joined the team on a two-way contract initially before being converted to a standard player. Since Terry didn't have a guaranteed salary for the upcoming season, he was the logical cut candidate. While Jabari Walker was in a similar position, having a small guarantee, the Sixers clearly prioritized the 23-year-old guard over Broome.
The Sixers have questions at the center position
Joel Embiid already carries a lot of question marks, solely due to his lack of availability throughout the season each year. After Embiid appeared in 66 games during the 2022-2023 NBA season, he played in 39 games, 19 games, and 38 games in each of the next three seasons.
As productive as Embiid was in 38 games, averaging 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, the Sixers needed to rely on Andre Drummond and Adem Bona a lot. The former player is now a former Sixer, leaving the team for the New York Knicks in free agency.
The Sixers will attempt to offset the loss of Drummond by adding Ariel Hukporti from the Knicks. As a rookie in 2024-2025, Hukporti played in 25 games. He posted averages of 1.9 points and 2.0 rebounds. During the 2025-2026 Knicks championship run, Hukporti produced averages of 2.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in 54 games. It's safe to say he's unproven.
In Adem Bona, the Sixers have a third-year center who has played in 129 games over the past two seasons. There is a lot of promise in Bona, after watching him produce 5.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game over the past two years, but he still has a lot to prove.
The Sixers could end up keeping an open roster spot at least through training camp, with hopes that Bona or Hukporti separate themselves and Embiid stays healthy. However, the depth at center will be a position to keep an eye on as the offseason progresses.
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