It surely did not take long for the injury bug to bite the Philadelphia 76ers, as Ariel Hukporti recently suffered a non-contact injury five minutes into the team's first preseason game. Obviously, that is a major blow to the team right from the get-go, but it presents an opening for Tacko Fall to make it to the opening night roster –– an opportunity now available to him before he even gets to play a single minute for the squad.
As of writing, there remains no official confirmation on Hukporti's situation, but no matter what happens, this will most likely increase the urgency for the front office to keep doubling down on shoring up their depth at center. Naturally, that is a good thing for Fall's bid to formalize his comeback in the NBA with the 76ers.
Tacko Fall has to seize this new opening after latest 76ers injury setback
Fall, who is listed at 7'6", would be the tallest active player in the NBA if he makes it to the 76ers' roster for the regular season. But more importantly, he should be good enough as an emergency option for the 76ers as they navigate their options behind Joel Embiid, which has been a key area of vulnerability for the squad since time immemorial.
The Senegalese big man spent the last few years playing overseas in China and Australia, racking up meaningful experience playing competitive basketball since his exit from the league more than four years ago. The 76ers are dead serious about their championship hunt, so there is no room for any sensationalist move. The front office saw merit in signing Fall, and he now has a prime opportunity to make the cut.
Of course, it is tricky to deploy a stationary big man as tall as Fall, but the 76ers should be able to get at least passable production from him on the defensive end and in the rebounding department –– two areas of concern for the team at large –– off the bench.
Be that as it may, the premise is that Fall must look serviceable at the very least this preseason, and that starts with actually being available. Right now, he is dealing with a hip strain, although he is close to getting re-evaluated, so he should still have some time to showcase that he is deserving of one of the team's two-way spots.
The Hukporti injury complicates the 76ers' situation off the bench, but if Fall can showcase what he has learned in his stint overseas, the impact of that setback could be assuaged. Hopefully, he makes the most of this new opening.
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