Three days into training camp, the Sixers are already giving fans plenty to read between the lines. The roster is still taking shape, Nick Nurse is still sorting through combinations, and the early clues are coming from practice clips, injury updates, and who keeps popping up in scrimmages.
One of the clearest takeaways so far is that the backup center job is wide open. Adem Bona is out after suffering a left foot sprain while playing for Turkey’s national team on September 17. Nurse said the 23-year-old will be re-evaluated in the next few days and believes he’ll be ready for a “couple” of exhibitions, Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice reported on Thursday.
Tacko Fall is also unavailable after sustaining a left hip strain on Wednesday, Austin Krell reported. His re-evaluation is set for two weeks from now, and by then the Sixers will have only one preseason game left: the Boston Celtics on October 16.
That leaves Philadelphia with a thinner-than-expected center group in camp, and Ariel Hukporti looks like the most obvious beneficiary. The former Knick left the reigning champions to sign a one-year, $3.4 million deal with the Sixers on July 6. His rim-running and shot-blocking fit the same general mold as Bona’s, and that kind of energy could mesh well with a team trying to play faster.
Nurse may also use the shortage up front as a chance to experiment with smaller lineups, including LeBron James, Dominick Barlow, or Dean Wade.
At the other end of the roster, Joel Embiid appears to be in a good place physically and mentally. Tyrese Maxey didn’t exactly hide that feeling when he spoke about him to Aaronson on Tuesday.
“He looks great. He looks amazing.
He looks happy,” Maxey said of Embiid to Aaronson on Tuesday. “When you're healthy and you're happy, you're at peace with your life in basketball.
That's when you're at your best.”
Embiid, who appeared in 38 games last season, has taken part in all three practices so far, Krell reported. His preseason status remains undecided, though that has become a familiar story.
Over the last three years, he has played in only two preseason games, and both came in the finale. If that pattern holds again, his first preseason action would come against the Celtics, the same team Philadelphia knocked out 4-3 in the first round last season.
Nurse said, "[Embiid] and LeBron have both been a part of everything we've done. I will say that they're both pretty smart about when we're scrimmaging and run 7 or 8 plays, they're getting themselves in and out.
I think they're not overdoing it. But, yes, they want to get in shape,…
The bigger objective, as always, is keeping Embiid healthy enough to get through the regular season and be ready when the playoffs arrive.
Another name worth watching is VJ Edgecombe’s fellow rookie, Philon. When the Sixers posted Edgecombe’s dunk off James’ alley-oop in what looked like a five-on-five scrimmage on Tuesday, Tony Jones of The Athletic pointed out Philon’s participation. That alone was enough to raise eyebrows.
Then Nurse added more fuel to the idea, saying he had been “super impressed” by Philon and that the rookie had held his own in every area, Aaronson reported on Wednesday.
Philadelphia has not been shy about leaning on rookies when the situation calls for it. Jared McCain, the team’s 16th overall pick in 2024, started eight of 23 games in 2024-25 when injuries hit hard, and he quickly became a focal point on offense, averaging 15.3 points per game. Edgecombe, meanwhile, was a full-time starter last year after making a strong enough impression in camp.
Philon’s route is tougher because of the guard depth in front of him. The Sixers’ rotation there includes Maxey, Edgecombe, Anfernee Simons, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Still, Philon has already shown some real tools since being drafted 22nd overall this year, flashing tight ball-handling, dynamic scoring, and a solid defensive motor in Summer League. If those traits keep showing up in camp, minutes could be there for the taking.
With more than two weeks left in training camp and 19 days until the season opener against New York, the Sixers still have time to sort out Philon’s role and plenty of other decisions.
In Other News...
Nick Nurse Sees A Sixers Ceiling That Could Change Everything
Nick Nurse is already looking past the usual training-camp language and into what the 76ers can become if their new roster pieces hold up on the defensive end. Philadelphia expects to play with more depth, size and athleticism this season, and Nurse said that should allow the team to get more creative on that side of the ball while still keeping the focus on fundamentals first.
The bigger idea for the Sixers is to turn defense into offense, using turnovers to fuel transition chances and make the group harder to guard in the open floor. If that approach takes root, it could change the way Philadelphia plays night to night and give Nurse more ways to stress opponents, but the real test will come once the team starts layering in the more varied schemes it wants to use. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Camp Injury Trouble Is Putting Their Center Depth To The Test
Training camp injuries are already forcing the Sixers to keep a close eye on their center depth, with Tacko Fall diagnosed with a left hip strain and Adem Bona working back from a sprained foot. For a team trying to sort out its rotation before the games start counting, even minor health issues can complicate the picture, especially when the big men behind the main options are trying to stay on the floor and earn their place.
Around the league, the early-October injury churn has touched several other teams too, from Miami guard Dru Smiths calf strain to updates on Anthony Black, Noah Penda, DeAnthony Melton and Jakob Poeltl. For Philadelphia, though, the focus stays on its frontcourt availability and how quickly the group can get healthy enough to avoid turning a depth question into an early-season problem. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Overhaul Still Leaves One Big Question About Their New Rotation
The Sixers have spent the offseason reshaping both ends of the roster, stacking star power while also trying to make the bench less of a weak spot. Anfernee Simons is in on a two-year deal, Dean Wade arrives on a four-year contract, and the front office has clearly tried to give the group more balance around Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the rest of the core.
Even with that overhaul, the biggest issue may be how all of those pieces fit once the games start and the rotation has to settle. Embiid and LeBron James are both in the mix for load management plans, which only adds another layer to the equation, while Maxey has been framed as someone focused on team success over individual recognition. The talent is there, but the Sixers still have some sorting out to do before the new look feels complete. [Read more 🡒]