Not long before the Philadelphia 76ers fired up training camp, the team learned that Adem Bona had suffered a setback that would take him off the court for at least the first few days of action.
Dealing with a foot injury, Bona has been absent for the first three days. While initial reports suggested that he would be re-evaluated at the start of training camp and could miss at least two weeks of action, the Sixers seem to be giving a slightly more optimistic word on Bona's recovery.
When the head coach Nick Nurse addressed reporters after Thursday's practice session, he mentioned that "in the next couple of days" Bona would get another evaluation. As far as the preseason goes, the goal is to get Bona on the court so he can get some run in before the regular season opener later this month.
A late start to the competition
The 76ers surely haven't been building up the backup center battle as much as we have, but they can't hide the fact that there is a ton of uncertainty with and behind Joel Embiid.
Adem Bona was primed for an important offseason, as the third-year center has to prove that he's the guy for the job that requires playing steady minutes behind Joel Embiid when he is on the floor, and possibly taking up the starting spot when he's off.
For the time being, the former New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti is getting a chance to show the Sixers that he needs to be strongly considered for the job. And with Tacko Fall suffering a sudden setback on the second day of camp, the Sixers are now forced to take a look at some small-ball options, which likely include names like Dominick Barlow and Dean Wade.
What to expect from Bona this offseason
At this point, it's going to be difficult for Bona to come into training camp and totally separate himself. With a multi-week recovery in play, the veteran center is going to have to use time to shake rust and get back into basketball shape.
It's a bonus that the Sixers already know what Bona brings to the table in some capacity, but it might take some time before the 76ers get a chance to see what he really improved on in the offseason. There will be four games on tap to give the 76ers a chance to roll Bona out.
The preseason begins on Monday, October 5, at home against the New York Knicks. The next two games take place on the road, with an October 8 battle against the Brooklyn Nets and an October 10 game against the Boston Celtics. The finale takes place at home against the Celtics on October 16.
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