The Philadelphia 76ers' exciting offseason doesn't erase all concerns for the roster. If there is an obvious area that could use an update, it's the backup center position, where Andre Drummond and Adem Bona split minutes last season.
Drummond packed up and signed with the New York Knicks in free agency. Ariel Hukporti swapped spots with him by inking a one-year deal with the Sixers after spending time with the New York Knicks. And since the second-year center Johni Broome is out of the picture via trade, Bona and Hukporti will battle it out for the backup center spot.
The Sixers won't have to add depth there right away. In fact, they have to wait, unless they strike a trade or cut somebody loose. That should buy enough time for Bona and Hukporti to state their case behind Joel Embiid. Meanwhile, the 76ers just might keep their eyes out West, looking at a guy like Brooke Lopez, who was recently tabbed as a potential buyout candidate later on in the 2026-2027 NBA season.
Lopez is hard to overlook
Philly Voice's Adam Aaronson joined Third Apron alongside Yossi Gozlan to review the Sixers' offseason. Lopez was mentioned as a logical player to look at when the buyout market starts to take shape in early 2027.
“Would the Clippers buy out Brook Lopez midseason? That one seems like an obvious buyout candidate, who probably makes a little too much money for anything to trade for him, but he’s old enough that the Clippers won’t have too much use for him late in the year," Aaronson said. "A stretch-five, a rim protector, that’s the type of guy the Sixers would like.”
When the Clippers added Lopez last summer, they had a much different look. The team was headlined by James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. They planned to make a run in the Western Conference. Early on, the Clippers came to realize they aren't built for winning the title. Harden's now out of the picture, while Leonard's trade is in progress. Lopez is suddenly 38 and on a Play-In-at-best squad. He's going to make $9.1 million for the 2027-2028 season.
If the Clippers can cut ties with Lopez, he makes plenty of sense for Philly. Lopez played in 75 games for the Clippers last year, seeing the court for 21.8 minutes per game. He produced 8.5 points per game, along with 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Lopez shot 36.0% from deep.
There really isn't a box unchecked. He's a solid defender, decent shooter, doesn't miss much action, and has a championship under his belt. In a perfect world, the Sixers watch Bona or Hukporti make it painfully obvious that another center isn't needed. Going based on what we know, Lopez is an obvious target near the top of the buyout list.
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