With the goal of keeping Joel Embiid as fresh as possible during the regular season, the Philadelphia 76ers tried to bolster their center cushion behind their superstar this offseason, and they did just that by signing Andre Drummond in free agency and drafting Adem Bona, who somehow ended up in their hands in the second round.
Still, many are calling for the 76ers to sign another big man given Embiid's injury history, and while they haven't done so yet, they did go on a free-agent big man spree just recently to add to their roster.
But with this latest development, that's now out the window.
The 76ers were reportedly pursuing free agent big man Killian Tillie earlier this month. The 26-year-old went undrafted in 2020 and began his career as a backup with Memphis before missing extended time with a back injury and ultimately being removed from the roster.
Tillie last played in the NBA in 2022 but has reportedly been looking to return to the NBA, with both the 76ers and Warriors expressing interest, but that now seems virtually impossible, having only just signed a one-year deal with Spanish club Unicaja Malaga.
That's by no means a disadvantage for the 76ers, as there are still other options on the market, but Tillie would have been a nice addition as an emergency big man off the bench, and Philadelphia needs all the help it can get to shore up its center rotation and ease the burden on its 2023 MVP.
Hopefully Embiid can finally have a healthy season. The 76ers will also be desperate for Drummond, who is considered one of the NBA's premier backup centers. Bona's quick adjustments would be even better (and a must-have replacement if Embiid misses a game).
Next up: 5 players who might not make it to the 76ers' end in 2024-25.
