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Sixers to sign Willie Cauley-Stein to 10-day contract in attempt to add depth at center

Cauley-Stein will serve as backup center behind Joel Embiid, a spot left vacant when Andre Drummond was traded to Brooklyn.

Sixers center Joel Embiid dunks the basketball past Dallas Mavericks center Willie Cauley-Stein on Feb. 25, 2021.
Sixers center Joel Embiid dunks the basketball past Dallas Mavericks center Willie Cauley-Stein on Feb. 25, 2021.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

The 76ers found a backup center for Joel Embiid — at least a temporary one.

A league source confirmed the team will sign Willie Cauley-Stein to a 10-day contract. NBC Sports Philadelphia was first to report the news.

The 7-foot, 240-pounder played for the Dallas Mavericks this season before being waived on Jan. 15. He averaged 1.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 9.8 minutes in 18 appearances with two starts. Cauley-Stein last played on Nov. 27.

The Sixers will be Cauley-Stein’s fourth team after being drafted sixth overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2015.

The Sixers were in search of a backup center for Embiid after trading Andre Drummond to the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 10 as part of the James Harden deal. Cauley-Stein has averages of 8.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in 420 career games with the Kings, Golden State Warriors, and Mavericks.