Brown, Hukporti, KCP, Wade start PHI opener

Hukporti signed with the 76ers at the start of free agency after spending the first two years of his career with the Knicks. He was expected to provide more center depth behind Joel Embiid, but he won’t be available for this season. Adem Bona (foot) is currently out as well, but he should be the primary backup center behind Embiid, though the 76ers will likely have to make a move to bring in another big.

Starting for Joel Embiid, Hukporti played five minutes against his former team before leaving the game with a non-contact right leg injury. The 76ers center appeared to take an awkward step back while defending Karl-Anthony Towns, then fell to the floor and immediately grabbed the lower back area of his right leg. Hukporti required assistance to the locker room and did not return. With Adem Bona (foot) currently out, the 76ers’ center depth would take a significant hit if Hukporti misses time.

Walker’s contract for the upcoming season isn’t fully guaranteed until January 10, so he still has work to do. He looked sharp in Monday’s preseason opener, shooting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and showing more confidence in his shot than last season. Walker’s role may also grow in importance because of injuries to Philadelphia’s other rotation bigs. Adem Bona (foot) is recovering from a sprain, while Ariel Hukporti suffered a lower-right-leg injury in the first half of Monday’s game. Given starting center Joel Embiid’s injury history, Walker is someone to watch with Bona and Hukporti sidelined.

The 76ers played Monday’s game without several key contributors, so there wasn’t much to critique regarding head coach Nick Nurse’s rotations. However, Brown was impressive in his unofficial 76ers debut, scoring efficiently on all three levels. With a current ADP in the high 20s, JB’s name is being called a bit too early in category-league drafts. However, playing alongside Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James could make him a more efficient player on the offensive end of the floor.

Bona, who is expected to compete with Ariel Hukporti for the backup center job, suffered the injury while representing Turkïye during FIBA World Cup qualifiers. The 76ers announced that he’ll be re-evaluated when training camp begins at the end of the month. While Bona’s injury won’t significantly affect his fantasy draft value, missing regular-season games would remove a potential safety net for managers who select Joel Embiid.

Fall last played in the NBA in 2022, but he’ll get another shot after playing professionally in China. Fall could make an impact as a backup big man if he sees the court, but he’ll compete with Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti for minutes behind the oft-injured Joel Embiid. Thomas and Nelson Jr. are unlikely to see many minutes this season, barring multiple injuries up the depth chart.

The addition of LeBron James via free agency has opened the door for others to consider Philadelphia as a new home, even though the 76ers have limited roster space. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has agreed to a one-year deal, and there have reportedly been conversations between the team and Love’s agent. However, the 76ers have two backup centers on the roster in Adem Bona and offseason signing Ariel Hukporti. Also, the KCP signing filled Philadelphia’s standard contract slots, meaning someone would have to be moved to make room for Love. In a reserve role, the veteran forward/center is unlikely to be in a position to consistently impact fantasy basketball next season.

Philadelphia’s reported interest in moving on from Broome has more to do with the pending signing of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope than anything else. Just as the team needed to waive Dalen Terry to have the roster spot needed to make the LeBron James signing official, another roster spot is needed to add KCP. Broome, who was limited to 11 NBA appearances last season and missed time with a knee injury, played well during Summer League. Still, the 76ers have Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti to absorb minutes behind starting center Joel Embiid. In the right situation, Broome could have some streaming value throughout the season. According to Fischer, waiving Jabari Walker is another possibility, but the 76ers hope to hold onto him.

The team’s official X account broke the news on Sunday, making the former No. 18 pick a free agent. The move could be part of the Sixers’ plan to clear roster space and salary cap to add Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who NBA insider Chris Haynes reported intends to sign with Philadelphia after being bought out by Memphis. Terry split time with the Bulls and Sixers last season, averaging 3.7 points across 48 games.

Less than 24 hours after it was reported that Caldwell-Pope and the Grizzlies were negotiating a contract buyout, the veteran wing has been waived. Unless another team decides to file a claim, KCP will be headed to Philadelphia on a one-year, $3.9 million deal. Caldwell-Pope appeared in a career-low 51 games last season, as a finger injury ended his 2025-26 campaign just after the All-Star break. He can provide three-point shooting and wing defense in Philadelphia, but KCP is unlikely to be in a position where fantasy managers can rely on him for value.