As if clockwork, the Philadelphia 76ers have to deal with another injury just before the first tip-off of the season, losing Dominick Barlow for at least the next couple of weeks with a spine injury. The young big man did not suit up in the entire preseason, and now, his absence will spill over to the regular season. This setback only gives the team another issue they absolutely do not need right now, given their dearth of reliable options to man the big man spot off the bench.
The 76ers have always had issues securing a reliable center to spell Joel Embiid off the bench, and this year is no different. Their current crop of backup big men is even thinner than last season, and Barlow's continued absence will further limit the coaching staff when it comes to formulating the rotation early in their campaign.
The 76ers get another headache after Dominick Barlow injury news
After an impressive debut campaign for Philly last season, Barlow was supposed to compete for minutes as a backup big man for the 76ers. Sure, he might have ended up in Nick Nurse's doghouse in the playoffs, but he was still good enough in the regular season to warrant the belief that a fresh campaign will revitalize him and his case for more minutes.
Well, consider that moot for now. The 76ers will now have to choose between Adem Bona, Jabari Walker, and even Tacko Fall to be their main center on the second unit, with Nurse also exploring smaller configurations with Dean Wade and LeBron James as the nominal big man.
The team has some workarounds, but losing Barlow is a major hit to their lineup flexibility. Of their current big men, he is arguably the most malleable on defense, capable of latching onto smaller and quicker players while being equipped to handle banging bodies with other centers in the paint.
Philly might be forced to play smaller early on, which will also force players to play a position up to compensate for their flimsy depth at center. Teams are still fresh at this point, so it should not be a massive deal, but it is nevertheless a direct consequence of the 76ers losing one of their expected go-to options off the bench to fill the role.
Dominick Barlow is starting to have a really shaking footing in Philadelphia, and his latest injury setback only gives the coaching staff some additional leg room to foster doubt on his viability this season. Hopefully, he can get back as soon as possible in order to mend his case before it is too late.
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