In light of the Ariel Hukporti season-ending Achilles injury, 76ers coach Nick Nurse suggests LeBron James as a potential back-up center.
Dude is 42 with sciatica and they want him to play center đ
Just sit in the paint and donât move
Well centers from the other teams are still going to bang him
When a guyâs banging you
Lucky centers
Not true, he and AD prefer to scissor.
ayo
Dosunmu?
Just let them
Isa in a staff meeting and just lolâd reading this comment
That did work for Duncan during the Finals rematch against the Heatles
If you squint its basically Serge Ibaka
Sciatica and foot arthritis
the dude cant even play b2b
He and Embiid can rotate like goalies in b2bs
They can have pitcher rotations on who plays center over 82 games
He played a few of them last year.
But he’s still one of the stronger dudes in the NBA and pretty big. If OKC can run Jalen Williams and Kenrich Williams at center at times, Bron could probably do a pretty solid job for 10 min a night at C. Wouldn’t want him being the only backup C though.
Arthritic left foot as well
They have no bigs. Hukporti was likely to see a decent amount of minutes.
Is that Tacko Fall’s music?!
By gawd it is! But he’s wearing a salmon colored suit for some reason..
Kevin Love and Taj Gibson are free agents
Kevin Love is 56 in NBA years and no longer an exciting white, but I can see him joining and just throwing outlet passes for 7 minutes a game.
Taj is a coach now.
What’s better than one 40 year old? Gimme three! Next stop, NBA Championship!
Tacko would dominate a half court. Unfortunately for the Sixers, the NBA plays full court and Tacko canât run fast enough to keep up.
They have one. Please respect Adem âblocked into the next countyâ Bona
Barlow and Bona are still solid backups, right? Just both are injury prone?
I mean, this year is Philly’s shot. Not sure those guys are good enough to help a contender. Especially with the inevitable Embiid missed games.
Tough situation for them.
It isn’t much of a shot if you have to rely on old and injury prone players to not be old and injury prone.
It is the best shot they have though.
the season isnât over we can still make a move for a big man
In December.
Not like the big man market is vast out there.
Myles Turner for a pack of chips :P
Bona still fouls too much to be able to start.
Barlow was our starting PF for half of last year so the amount of C he did play was minimal
Decent enough depth but they are going to have to start one of them for 35+ games now and I don’t think that’s a recipe for success.
I mean starting Hukporti for 35+ games was not gonna be successful either
Nuggets have this youngster named Nnaji, little rough around the edges but with so much upside. Denver is so desperate for draft picks I bet y’all only need to offer a first and a second to make the deal.
Nnaji for a first is not a winning move lol.
Upside!
He shot over 40% from 3 for his first two years in the league! He just needs a frontcourt playmaker like LeBron to unlock that again
Yeah, I heard that Jokic guy might fit that bill
Unless theyâd take Philon and a bunch of 2nd I donât think that deal gets done
Lebron having arthiritis flair ups, Nick “yeah hes going to be our Center moving forward”
âOccasional small ball 5â vs âcenter moving forwardâ đ
He also said unless something else emerges, which Iâm sure means that theyâll be looking for an injury replacement for Hukporti. This new front office seems to be anything but stupid.
Listed last in a group Nurse describes as 4-5 guys, but of course nobody here actually watching the clip
The league doesn’t have enough centers. I see so many teams just jamming random people at center because they don’t have one.
Maybe I’m just old, but this is what happens when specialization goes away in favor of positionless-ness.
Yeah, I miss positions. I miss the traditional center and power forward, and the smaller pass first point guards. It seems like every player is a 6’6” to 6’10” foward now whose required to play three positions while having to have good ball handling abilities and a good three point shot. It seems all the same now.
Tbf, if anything the past champions showed us how valuable good center depth is: KAT + robinson, Hartenstein + Chet, Horford + Porzingis, Jokic + ?, Looney + Dray
Which inevitably helps teams like this make it to the playoffs only to get completely exposed my playoff centers.
Yep, it’s basically what killed the Spurs. They had 4 unplayable bigs sitting on the bench in the Finals when Wemby desperately needed another big alongside him, but they only had Kornet to play during Wemby’s rest minutes. Wemby had to choose between chasing KAT and letting the Knicks own the paint, or be in the paint and let KAT shoot against the Spurs small lineup, neither of which were good options.
Thatâs why we drafted 3 this offseason.
They all probably suck though because there’s so few actually good and playable bigs
Modern offenses have killed the traditional 5, you have to be much more mobile than 7 footers generally are to not be a liability
Why doesnât the nba just recruit more wembys? Are they stupid?
there is shortage rn
Itâs why Lakers and Pistons had to pay for their centers and Pacers had to give away top 5 pick for Zubac.
Surely that’s the nature of selecting for the tallest people in the world. There cannot be enough.
Meanwhile the Pistons last season had good Cs. We were hogging them.
Even before the injury I knew this was coming (just figured they’d save that look for the postseason). My prediction for this team was that Lebron will end closing some playoff games at the 5
With LeBron at the 5 they can fit Dean Wade into the lineup as a POA defender next to all their scorers.
They’re doomed if LeBron is closing playoff games at C over Embiid
The thought of Giannis charging full speed into the paint at 42 year old Lebron makes me smile
I’m just thinking about all the players who would jump at the change to nutmeg LeBron if they see him trying to guard the paint. All them years of PTSD caused by them LeBron chasedown blocks finally being unleashed.
It’s ok. All those players with LePTSD are all out of the league by now
Subscribed
Yup it was inevitable, always knew he would get stuck at C and they would try to run centerless lineups to preserve Embiid
Wouldn’t Dean Wade be the more natural fit at the 5?
Wade is a POA guy. Lebron is a much better help defender and rebounder, plus he outweighs Wade by 30-40lbs and can guard a lot of bigs . In a 76ers-Knicks series, Lebron would be the strongest player on the floor barring KAT. Same with the Cavs and Raptors, he’s legitimately stronger than all the bigs on those teams
I think Barnes and CMB could give LeBron a run on the strength department at this point.
Edit
OG would definitely be up there as well.
People are conveniently forgetting how well Lebron guarded Jokic and Wembley during the Olympics, and that’s at 39 mind you. They were bouncing off him every time they tried to get the rebound.
The guys I mentioned are physically huge and much younger.
I can respect LeBron’s physical strength, but to act like some of the young guys haven’t caught up is crazy.
Sort of but not really. I think if youâre choosing between Dean Wade and LeBron specifically and need 1 POA defender and 1 small ball center the decision is pretty easy. LeBron isnât gonna be out there on defense like that anymore. He can man the 5 quite well. Lebron actually has a season listed as a center whereas Wade is a power forward technically.
Wade is better POA/ sticking to guys.
LeBron in the paint would probably be fine occasionally
LeBron and D Wade in the playoffs, can’t wait, it’s been a while..
So their plan for a backup center is elder abuse. 42 year old sciatica having LeBron James and how much of a season Joel Embiid can put together is a wild center rotation.
Sciatica and arthritis!
Dwight Howard can come out of retirement.
Cody Zeller! He is rested and ready!
You might be cooking. Also isn’t nick richards still unsigned? We need somebody. Get the Sharks on the phone, we need Javale
Nick Richards would be good.
Too late. Heat picked him up.
Is there nobody else?
Is someone 7’0 here? A golden chance
Im 7â5 if u switch my numbers around
7â5â if you will.
Nope. Here are the biggest players on their roster
Tacko Fall - 7â6â (left hip strain)
Joel Embiid - 7â0â (chronic Embiid syndrome)
Ariel Hukporti - 7â0â (achilles injury, out for season)
Adem Bona - 6â10â (foot sprain)
Dean Wade - 6â9â
LeBron James - 6â9â (turning 42 years old)
Dominick Barlow - 6â9â (back soreness)
Jabari Walker - 6â7â
Everyone else is listed 6â7â or shorter.
They donât have a ton of bodies to put at the 5, things are going to be rough as soon as Embiid is out for any significant time unless they swing a trade for someone else.
Could Maxey play some stretch 5 minutes?
Scouts driving around Philly just looking for tall people without a limp.
Without a limp is asking for too much, you’ll hurt Embiid’s feelings.
Whereâs Stanley Sugarman?
Just stack two people under 6’7” on top of each other.
Itâs not a big deal. Embiid is going to play 25 mpg for 30 games. You just need someone to manage the load for the time thatâs left.
Weâre obviously going to sign a 2 way or make a move at some point. But they canât even sign a minimum contract until December because of the hard cap.
Tacko and Bona are both hurt right now but Bona should be playable by the actual season opener.
Barlow, Walker and Wade are all other options to eat minutes. I doubt we see LeBron at the 5 for real.
Javale McGee welcome back to the NBA!
Someone get larry sanders on the phone
Can they trade Hukporti or not yet?
I think post-roster cuts will open up some more back up prospects.
Immediately looking at my Hornets - we have Diabate at the starting spot, Kalkbrenner was our backup last year, Hannes was our first round pick, and PJ Hall was at least serviceable when Kalk/Diabate were out (10⁄6 with 2 blocks against the Bulls starting, 13⁄5 and 2 blocks against the Thunder off the bench in a 30 point routing).
There’s no way we keep all 4. Kalk has seemingly lost some steam after last season’s drop off paired with the Hannes pick. PJ Hall is fine for who he is. I can see us moving off either. And that’s just the Hornets, I imagine some other teams have enough passable back ups.
that’s james wiseman’s music
He’s looking to be the favorite to win the Knicks roster spot Hunger Games. Would you be interested in a lightly used Drew Eubanks?
Miles turner for vj edgecomb and a 2nd.
Youâre welcome
pretty sure philly laughed over the phone when celtics wanted VJ for Brown, why tf would they want âturnerâ for him
Youâre right. They should drop the pick. 1:1 trade will be good
Oh what are you gonna try and sell them a lightly used Anthony Davis or something??
I would shoot myself
Everyone has been signing centers as quick as possible. There arenât a lot of true bigs anymore so theyâre a hot commodity. One goes down youâre automatically playing small. Thatâs why itâs a bad idea to go star-chasing because you end up without the money to pay another big.
I guess they will start hunting for two-way guys now ..
I had never heard this much talk about Ariel Hukporti until this injury
Knicks legend
Lebrons 4th prime is 2016 draymond with a jumpshot
2016 Draymond you mean the runner-up for DPOY? Yeah seems unlikely
Just a small ball center who can facilitate the offense
Boris Diaw âAm I a joke to you?â
“he came in a pg and left a C” - boogie
Boris Diaw is the 1-5 player of all time.
âJustâ
AD always complained about no centers on the Lakers, and somehow LeBron is on a team with less than that now
Welcome back 2022 Lakers!
Why does Nick Nurse now look like the kind of Trump voter the New York Times interviews who âregrets his voteâ
He’s got that “I drink liquid death and only see my kids every other weekend” frown.
Holy shit. I’m glad you said this because I hadn’t looked at the video.
I wouldn’t even have recognized him if I didn’t already know who he is.
Also hilarious comparison
I didn’t want to be that guy, again and complain how both coaches and players look like they just took out the garbage and are now heading to Wally world for mulch.
But here we are.
but the better question is he a Trump voter?
Come on man. This isnât fair
nurse gonna wake up with a horse head in his bed
LeBron finally going to understand Pain.
He played the 5 a lot on the Lakers
No he did not, that was Rui
Do you not remember the Westbrook era lineups of LeBron at center with 4 guards?
He played a majority of the season at center, enough to be logged as a C on bball ref
Yeah he played center but how did that work out for the lakers?
Does it really matter who was the 5? They were free eats
Someone on here had suggested this but at the time I think they were joking.
Barlow is still there isnât he? Heâs not bad
Love Barlow as a PF but heâs not it at center. Not a good enough rebounder.
Heâs gotta be better at it and bigger than 42 year old Lebron
For sure agree with that, but ultimately I think the Sixers get a two way guy to fill the gap instead
Yessss get that Thibodeau treatment my boy, fired and rich is the way to be
Nick nurse about to run LeBron to the ground. He might lead the league in minutes
nurse being the coach that ends lebron’s career 24 year career is so tragic yet so fitting
How many weeks before Embiid injury and LeBron becomes primary center. And then LeBron injury and Maxey becomes center?
Philly has so much talent this year, but this is the primary reason I dont expect them to make it past the 2nd round of the playoffs. Embiid is great, but he’s rarely healthy in the playoffs & outside of him they dont have any decent centers. Any team with a decent big is gonna expose them in the playoffs.
LeBron in his PJ Tucker / Chuck Hayes era
Tacko Fall might actually get legit minutes
Unironically, they should acquire Chaney Johnson
Why does Nurse do this do his players
LePositionless
I watched Quin Snyder get production out of Tony Bradley in the 2026 playoffs (after he played in the 2025 finals what a weird arc) 76ers better pick up that mf up and figure it out because LeBron playing center 4 years younger was torturous. It isn’t something you can do for more than a couple of minutes at a time at most especially now going on 42. If it was 2013 then he could play half the game or entire games vs certain matchups with him at center, not in the big 2027 coach.
What the fuck are you talking about? You been in Kensington too much or what?
You do not have that pull bro donât talk like that
Bron really should have went to Minnesota
Just to he the third season with ant and lamelos inside jokes making him feel like gramps ?
Is this Birdman or Big Cat time
hes retiring by week 4
so I said ok then well
To be fair, this was always going to happen. LeBron is really solid small ball center and it can definitely work in spurts.
The issue is that he is old, and bigs, who are much taller will still dominate around the rim.
yeah itâs matchup dependent, bron isnât typically meeting centers at the rim anymore but heâs still one of the strongest players in the league, he can put weight onto most centers and make them uncomfortable enough that they donât dominate
bron at center is fine as an occasional strategy for the regular season, come playoff time itâs a horrible idea unless they have a really specific team matchup where it works
They trying to kill lebron live on national television đ
Lakers tried this and it didnât work out too well.
What does polymarket think?
Wizards are going to buy out Deandre Ayton and he will find his way on the Sixers
Lebron will never escape Ayton
Weâll trade you Kevon looney for Lebron back
Time for Bron to start cultivating mass
Get ready to chug aspirin, old man
Damn I feel so bad for Huk. He showed flashes, I was excited to see what he could do in a bigger role even though it was with a divisional oppenent
Be careful what you wish for, Lebron
LeOneWishWillow
Whoâs laughing now?
Adem breakout season lets go
Screw it bring in ancient Kevin Love
Honestly should bring back Dwight Howard
Might as well call Pau Gasol or Al Jefferson or someone and see what shape theyâre in đ
He kind of plays the immobile defender position already anyways, or at least did for the last few seasons on the Lakers, why not
I thought he was on the knicks
Oh, he was serious
Will Bron be the starting center when Embiid goes down?
Back to the ocean Ariel!
he did it in LA why not
one of the reasons he ain’t in LA no more
Donât worry guys, Jaylen Brown scored 22 in 17 minutes, everything will be okay