The Philadelphia 76ers could look to sign a former Denver Nuggets center if they miss out on LeBron James.
The Philadelphia 76ers have one open roster spot.
As it stands, that is being reserved for free agent LeBron James, but where should the 76ers look for help if they miss out on the 22-time All-Star?
One option hit the free agency market on Wednesday, as ESPN's Shams Charania announced that "The Denver Nuggets are waiving veteran center Jonas Valanciunas, sources tell ESPN. Valanciunas is expected to receive interest from multiple NBA teams."
It did not take long for Valanciunas to find himself linked to the 76ers.
It's easy to understand why because the current backups to Joel Embiid are Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti. While both are serviceable centers, neither is accustomed to serving as a full-time second-unit player. Bona has played behind Embiid and Andre Drummond his whole career, while Hukporti served as the third-string center to Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson on the New York Knicks last season.
Valanciunas would be a major step up from both of them, especially on the offensive end. The 14-year NBA veteran averaged 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds on 58.2% shooting in 65 games for the Nuggets last season. It's worth noting he's not capable of stretching the floor, but he did still serve as the primary backup to superstar center Nikola Jokic in Denver.
The reason having a strong backup is so important for Philadelphia's roster is because of Embiid's availability struggles. The 2023 MVP appeared in just 38 games in the 2025-2026 campaign, which left Drummond and Bona as the primary big men for more than half the season. Handing over that responsibility to Bona and Hukporti alone feels risky, as neither is proven as a starting center.
Adding an established veteran into the mix like Valanciunas, who has started plenty of games throughout his career, would certainly ease some nerves. Although it's entirely possible the 76ers miss out on the opportunity to sign him while waiting for James to come to a decision.
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