After Ariel Hukporti’s Achilles injury, how will the Sixers fill the center minutes behind Joel Embiid?

The injury bug has officially struck the 76ers before the season opener, with newcomer Ariel Hukporti undergoing surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon that occurred during Monday’s preseason game against the New York Knicks.

It is a tough personal blow for Hukporti, a 24-year-old 7-footer who was vying for the Sixers’ backup center job after spending his first two NBA seasons playing sparingly for the Knicks. It also is a hit to the Sixers at an important position.

That rotation role not only receives the minutes behind former MVP Joel Embiid, but is in line for spot starts when Embiid inevitably misses games to manage his health. And those Embiid absences move somebody else into the backup role, which is now almost exclusively undersized options.

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Oddly enough, Embiid currently is the healthiest of the top of the center pecking order. Adem Bona, the backup for most of last season, is still nursing a foot sprain, though he has progressed to on-court activities, the team said Wednesday. Dominick Barlow, a contender for small-ball lineups, still has a back issue and had his midsection wrapped after Wednesday’s practice. Neither player are expected to be available for the preseason games at the Brooklyn Nets Thursday and the Boston Celtics Saturday.

Even if the Sixers are granted the Designated Player Exception, they cannot make an additional signing because they are hard-capped at the first apron. They could add another center via a trade, though most players on the first year of their contract are ineligible to be moved before Dec. 15. They do have a two-way contract still open.

For now, here are the Sixers’ remaining center options behind Embiid:

Bona, now entering his third NBA season, is a high-energy rim protector with an athletic 6-foot-10 frame. His raw offensive game primarily revolves around the basket, though drilling three-point shooting is consistently part of his pregame routine. He also struggled last season with fouling too frequently and with fundamentals such as catching the ball.

Bona’s $2.3 million salary for the final year of his rookie contract became guaranteed in July. And though Hukporti’s injury gives Bona the inside track to hold the backup role again, this season feels even more important for the 23-year-old.

Barlow arguably was last season’s most pleasant surprise, starting 59 games at power forward and parlaying a two-year contract into a standard deal. He put up career-best numbers in his first time in a consistent NBA rotation role, averaging 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists.

The 6-9, 23-year-old excels at under-the-radar skills such as cutting and crashing the offensive glass. He also played well off Embiid, sparking interest in how he can collaborate with star newcomers LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.

“There’s going to be times where we’re probably experiment with things,” Barlow said of the possibility that he could play some center. “And it’s just my job to be ready to be productive wherever I’m at on the floor.”

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The massive knock on Barlow’s game is his shooting, making only 25.4% of his career three-point attempts. He said he worked on that element of his game during the offseason, though he has not yet flashed that in a public setting while sidelined with the injury. Barlow’s minutes also dwindled during the playoffs, when former Sixers forwards Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. both were healthy.

Another Sixer who last season had his two-way contract converted to a standard deal, Walker is an energetic rebounder who has been encouraged to let it fly from beyond the arc since arriving in Philly last season. Both skills were on display when the 6-7 Walker stepped in following Hukporti’s injury Monday night, totaling 11 points and 11 rebounds.

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“[I] can’t really even explain how much work has gone into it,” Walker said of his shot. “But a lot of mental work has [gone] into it, as well — just the confidence to shoot it. My teammates have seen me do it a lot of times, and now it’s just about me understanding that it’s the best shot for our team sometimes, and I’m a good shooter. I deserve to shoot that.”

Only $250,000 of Walker’s $3.3 million salary for 2026-27 is guaranteed until Jan. 10, when it becomes fully guaranteed.

Wade spent a few first-half minutes at center Monday, and Nurse put him in this group of future possibilities following Wednesday’s practice.

All-NBA point guard Tyrese Maxey quipped last week that, at 6-10, Wade is taller than he remembers from playing against him as an opponent. Wade is best known as a versatile defender, but also can stretch the floor as a long-range shooter and be a connector on offense.

“They pay me to shoot the ball when I’m open and play defense,” Wade said after a practice last week. “So I have to do that.”

Fall gained popularity as a college and professional player because, even by basketball standards, he stands at a gigantic 7-6. But he has only played in 37 NBA games since 2019, and has not logged minutes in the league since 2022.

Nurse said last week that Fall was in contention for the Sixers’ final two-way spot. But he suffered a hip injury in practice, which is expected to keep him out for at least another week.

Yes, LeBron.

Nurse confirmed as much Wednesday. James has used his versatility to play small-ball center in some lineups at previous stops in his illustrious career.