Author: Gina Mizell

LOS ANGELES — Dominick Barlow elevated to attempt to tip in Kelly Oubre Jr.’s missed jumper in the lane, then instantly sprang up again when the ball bounced off the backboard. Barlow then got up a third time, hanging in the air to seemingly will the ball into the basket through contact.

The 6-foot-9 forward has spent this season as an appreciated 76ers role player who has completely outperformed his two-way contract. Barlow is a terrific cutter and savvy rebounder. He blends his athleticism and intelligence to fill in the gaps without overstepping. He “plays the right way, every single night,” All-Star teammate Tyrese Maxey said.

Yet Barlow finally got his monster stat line Monday in an impressive 128-113 76ers victory against the surging Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. He racked up a career-high 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting along with 16 rebounds, including an eye-popping 10 on the offensive glass. The outburst provided further evidence that part of the Sixers’ trade-deadline approach this week should be ensuring a roster spot is available to convert Barlow to a standard contract.

“Really went after it, man,” coach Nick Nurse said of Barlow’s outing. “ … Just wouldn’t quit playing hard, and he kept finding opportunities and made the most of them.”

It was fitting that Barlow brought that energy after the Sixers’ cross-country flight to kick off this crucial five-game Western Conference road trip.

Barlow felt a big night brewing early, when “a lot of stuff I got was really easy” while compiling 11 points and seven rebounds in the opening quarter. Those buckets came by way of two put-back dunks, a cutting and-one layup, and a steal and fastbreak slam. Barlow totaled another six rebounds (four on the offensive end) in the third quarter. And his final scoring burst helped cut short a Clippers fourth-quarter rally.

“He stole a lot of my rebounds,” star center Joel Embiid joked. “ … Every team needs one of those guys, [who] does everything.”

This career performance arrived after Barlow’s role fluctuated during the last 10 days.

The 22-year-old had become the starting power forward while Oubre missed about seven weeks with a knee injury. Yet once Oubre regained his rhythm upon returning to the court, Barlow moved to a reserve role and said he understood why Nurse made that decision. When Paul George was abruptly suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy on Saturday, Barlow moved back into the first five.

He has been an ideal fit with that starting group. Instead of worrying about creating offense with the ball in his hands, he can find spots to set a flare screen or make the correct pass. And when opposing defenders leave him to double-team stars Maxey or Embiid, that frees Barlow up to beeline toward the rim to snag the offensive rebound. He entered Tuesday’s game averaging 8.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 39 games.

“They make the game really simple,” Barlow said of those teammates.

Monday’s outburst also allowed Barlow to reflect on how he wound up in Philly.

‘This dude’s an athlete’

When asked about the origins of his knack for rebounding, he credits his long arms, instincts, and ball skills as a former football player. After beginning his NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks, Barlow did not stress when he didn’t immediately land with a new team at the start of free agency last summer. He believed he was “as strong mentally as they come,” and that “I can’t determine whether a team’s going to like the way I play or not. I can only just get better.”

He joined the Sixers on a two-way contract, plopping himself into the middle of their Summer League stint in Las Vegas. President of basketball operations Daryl Morey said there that he believed the Sixers had successfully leveraged that type of team-friendly deal, which typically allows younger players to split time between the NBA and G League, to gain an impactful player. When Maxey returned to Philly for informal workouts before training camp, he quickly noticed Barlow “flying around like, ‘Dang, this dude’s an athlete.’”

Barlow immediately earned a rotation spot, knowing steady minutes would bring increased comfort. So would the confidence instilled in him by coaches and teammates, which Barlow raved about Monday.

“I’ve got Joel Embiid, the league MVP,” Barlow told The Inquirer at his locker, “telling me [that] when I go slash, shoot the ball. Don’t pass. …

“I’ve had great teammates in the past. I don’t know if I’ve had guys collectively, as a whole, just so supportive and want to see me play well.”

As Barlow approached his career high in points Monday, he reminded himself not to force it. He reached the personal milestone on a crafty driving and-one finish with less than nine minutes to play, then received a smattering of “M-V-P!” chants from Sixers fans as he stepped to the free throw line. On the Sixers’ next possession, Maxey slung a pass to Barlow in the corner for a three-pointer that serendipitously rattled in, and increased the Sixers’ lead to 17 points .

“You want to [reward] him,” Maxey said.

Even after Nurse pulled his starters, the coach briefly kept Barlow on the floor so he could receive his own ovation upon checking out of the game. The bench celebration was appropriate for the appreciated role player who, until Monday’s stat-stuffing breakout, had primarily filled the gaps.

And it illustrated why one of the Sixers’ trade-deadline tasks should be securing a full roster spot for Barlow to fill.

“I understand what winning basketball looks like,” Barlow said, “and I’m just trying to continue to, hopefully, make this place a home.”

Paul George’s shocking suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy does not necessarily upend the 76ers’ trade deadline approach. But it does change their situation heading into Thursday.

On one hand, the Sixers are now in more need of an immediate boost — particularly at the wing or frontcourt positions — to keep pace in a tightly packed Eastern Conference during George’s 25-game absence. On the other, it has become significantly easier for the Sixers to get under the luxury tax because George’s unpaid suspension will give the team a tax variance credit of nearly $5.9 million.

The Sixers’ roster construction remains top-heavy, with three players on long-term max deals in George, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey. But it is always reasonable to expect the team’s president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, to pull off something at the deadline.

Here is a look at the Sixers’ most movable contracts, either to tinker with the roster or hit financial goals.

Expiring contracts

Kelly Oubre Jr.

Salary: $8.4 million

Before the George situation emerged, Oubre’s was viewed as the Sixers’ most tradable contract — especially if the front office was instructed to get under the luxury tax. Now he is vital to the current roster as a tenacious wing defender and offensive player who can slash to the basket — and he has upped his three-point percentage.

Oubre, who earlier this season missed seven weeks with a knee sprain, has been looking more and more like the player who was enjoying the best basketball of his 11-year career before his injury. He is back in the starting lineup and is averaging 14.2 points on nearly 50% shooting from the floor (36.9% from three-point range) along with 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals. He is also often tasked with a challenging perimeter defensive assignment.

Oubre’s skill set and production this season could have been attractive to win-now teams looking for that always-coveted wing spot. Rebuilding ones might have been enticed by a short-term commitment to Oubre. His name surfaced in trade rumors before the start of training camp, and was percolating in early deadline chatter in recent weeks.

Now it feels like a near certainty that Oubre will remain with the Sixers through the end of the season.

Quentin Grimes

Salary: $8.7 million

This comes with a massive asterisk because Grimes has the power to veto any trade after signing a one-year qualifying offer in October.

Additionally, any trade approved by Grimes would relinquish his’ “Bird” rights, which allow teams to offer their own players a higher salary in free agency. So unless the new destination appears to be an ideal long-term fit, it is unlikely Grimes would sign off on any trade-deadline move and instead enter unrestricted free agency this summer.

Grimes spent chunks of December and January in a rut, shooting 23.1% from three-point range in his last 12 games. Coach Nick Nurse recently said he was considering moving Grimes to the starting lineup in an effort to spark his production, although so far that has not transpired. He is another player who could see increased opportunity in George’s absence.

At his best, Grimes provides scoring punch at all three levels and is a tough perimeter defender. Even with a lesser role than during last season’s tank after arriving in Philly, Grimes should be one of the NBA’s better sixth men and a contender to play in closing lineups.

Andre Drummond

Salary: $5 million

What once looked like a resurgent Drummond season has turned into an odd role for the 14-year veteran. He starts whenever Embiid sits out for injury or load-management reasons, and does not play at all when Embiid is in the lineup. Drummond is averaging 6.8 points and 8.7 rebounds in 37 games with 17 starts this season.

That theoretically makes Drummond expendable — and perhaps the most likely (fringe) rotation player to depart at the deadline.

The Sixers could try to move Drummond to acquire a cheaper traditional center, or to land a player at a different position. That latter option would put a lot of trust in second-year big man Adem Bona to remain the consistent backup and become the spot starter when Embiid rests.

Bona is a high-energy rim protector and lob threat, but he still needs development as a rebounder and offensive player. The Sixers’ other center options would be of the small-ball variety in Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker, assuming both get converted to standard contracts.

Eric Gordon

Salary: $3.6 million

Gordon, on the tail end of a successful career, has played in only six games in his second season as a Sixer. Trading the 37-year-old in a salary-dump move would open up an additional roster spot that could be used to sign Walker or Barlow to a standard NBA contract.

One wrinkle: Gordon is close with rookie standout VJ Edgecombe, who played with Gordon on the Bahamian national team.

Kyle Lowry

Salary: $3.6 million

Lowry is in his 20th NBA season. Like Gordon, he is on a veteran minimum contract. It feels less likely that the Sixers would let go of the Philly native and former Villanova star, given his primarily off-the-court role as a respected leader in the locker room and on the bench.

Worth keeping an eye on

Jared McCain

Salary: $4.2 million

Putting McCain on such a list seemed unfathomable early last season, when he was a Rookie of the Year front-runner. And perhaps his breakout shooting week has restabilized him as a contributor to the Sixers’ present and future.

Before that, McCain’s return from knee and thumb surgeries had been an immense struggle. He could not find his shot — making just 36.1% of his attempts from the floor and 33.7% from beyond the arc before going 13-of-20 from deep in his last four games — and had fallen out of the rotation.

Still, last season’s immediate flash, and the expectation that, with time, that rediscovered rhythm continues for extended stretches, still make McCain a valuable young player. He would be the type to be included in a blockbuster trade. But it does not make much sense to give him up in any other scenario, given that the Sixers could lose Grimes in free agency this summer.

Trendon Watford

Salary: $2.5 million (team option for 2026-27)

Watford is another lower-salary player who could be traded to get under the luxury tax. Although his minutes have been inconsistent throughout an injury-riddled start to his first season in Philly, he could become increasingly valuable in George’s absence because of his unique ballhandling and playmaking skills as a point forward. He has a triple-double this season, and totaled four assists in 17 minutes as a reserve small forward in Thursday’s win over New Orleans.

Moving Watford also could be a tricky topic to broach with Maxey, one of Watford’s close friends.

Justin Edwards

Salary: $2 million

Edwards was another feel-good story last season as the local kid who went from going undrafted to earning a standard NBA contract and significant minutes. But although Nurse has reiterated that he still “loves” Edwards’ game, he often gets squeezed out of the rotation when the Sixers are at relatively full strength. His contract is the type that could be used as salary-filler in a deal.

Johni Broome

Salary: $1.3 million

The rookie big man, who has spent the bulk of this season with the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats, is another lower-salary player who could be moved to get under the luxury tax.

Tyrese Maxey reached out to teammates Jared McCain, Trendon Watford, and Justin Edwards on Saturday afternoon with a simple message.

“Listen,” the 76ers’ All-Star point guard told them, “y’all got to be ready.”

That is required because of Paul George’s 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy, a shocking blow as the Sixers barrel toward Thursday’s trade deadline and the mid-February All-Star break. Their first step in making up for George’s production was a success, topping the New Orleans Pelicans, 124-114, at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Now, their broader goal is to keep pace in a crowded Eastern Conference — entering Sunday, three games separated fourth and eighth place — until George returns in late March for the regular season’s stretch run.

“There’s a number of guys there to do it,” coach Nick Nurse said of filling George’s role. “That’s where we are. We’ve been in this kind of next man up mentality for quite a while, and we’re going to have to dig in and do it again.”

Though George is no longer the explosive three-level scorer he was as a perennial All-Star, Joel Embiid said it is “impossible” for the Sixers to fully replace George’s impact on both ends of the floor.

On Tuesday, the versatile 6-foot-8 wing tied a franchise record by hitting nine three-pointers in a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, and is still a creator and playmaker with the ball in his hands. He also is arguably the Sixers’ best perimeter defender, and a terrific organizer and communicator. Less than an hour before news of George’s suspension broke, Sixers reserve center Adem Bona raved about George’s overall mentorship, and how he makes Bona’s life easier on the defensive end.

“Obviously, he wants the best for me and he expects me to do my part, play my role on the court,” Bona said Saturday after shootaround. “[In] my last game [Thursday against Sacramento], he was telling me, ‘You have to get here!’ on help side and blocking shots.

“That just shows that he expects a lot from me. That means he really believes I can do the things I do best out there.”

Before Saturday’s home win, Nurse rattled off the collection of players who could see more minutes in George’s absence. And the coach has become plenty familiar with tinkering with lineups during the last two-plus seasons, primarily for injury reasons.

One teammate Maxey did not feel the need to call Saturday? Kelly Oubre Jr., whom the point guard said is “always” ready because “that’s just who he is.”

Oubre totaled 19 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists against the Pelicans, another sign the explosive two-way wing is returning to form after missing seven weeks with a knee injury. Before that, Oubre was off to arguably the best start of his 11-year career — often while fulfilling a heavier load while George worked his way back from offseason knee surgery.

Before Saturday, Oubre also could have been viewed as the Sixers’ most tradable asset. Now, he is almost certainly too crucial to relinquish in the middle of the season. The Sixers also no longer need to move Oubre in order to get under the luxury tax, because George’s unpaid suspension will give the Sixers a tax variance credit of nearly $5.9 million.

“I show up every day to work, do the same steps to prepare,” Oubre said when asked about how his responsibilities might change. “Whatever comes with the game, I’ll take it. I just try to stay even-keeled through everything, because it’s an up-and-down season. … I just want to be a key contributor to winning.”

Watford, meanwhile, became a ballhandling small forward Saturday, totaling four assists along with six rebounds and five points. McCain (12 points) put together another encouraging performance, hitting four three-pointers and playing well off Embiid. Dominick Barlow, who had stepped into a starting forward spot during Oubre’s absence, was back in the first five Saturday and finished with eight points, three rebounds, and two steals. Rookie VJ Edgecombe (15 points, five assists) delivered some nifty passes Saturday but needs to become even more aggressive on both ends of the floor, Nurse said.

Nurse also expects plenty of opportunity for Quentin Grimes (four points, four rebounds, two assists), who returned Saturday after missing two games with a sprained ankle. Jabari Walker totaled eight minutes against New Orleans, while Edwards was out of the rotation. Nurse pulled all the levers, closing the second quarter with the double-big man lineup with Embiid and Bona, and beginning the final period with a three-guard look.

“It’s going to take a little bit of, I think, just connectivity with the right rotations and lineups,” Nurse said, “and to be honest, some play calls and finding the matchups on the night who can go get us a bucket.”

Perhaps most important is that Embiid continues to look more and more like the 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player, scoring 40 points on Saturday for the first time since the 2024 playoffs. He has reestablished his dynamic two-man game with Maxey, although Nurse staggered the two stars’ minutes during portions of Saturday’s win. Embiid also believed he took a positive step on the defensive end, where lateral movement and elevation to protect the rim have been issues at times in his road back from multiple knee surgeries.

And though health will remain the ultimate caveat with Embiid, he vowed Saturday to “take more ownership into everything we do” in George’s absence.

“I’m always going to put it on myself,” Embiid said. “… and just encourage everybody. Give them the freedom to believe in themselves, so we can win.”

When asked how George’s suspension could impact the Sixers’ approach entering Thursday’s trade deadline, Nurse conceded “that probably remains to be seen.”

They could execute smaller, salary-dump-style moves to get under the luxury tax and create the two roster spots to convert Barlow and Walker from two-way contracts to standard deals. They could go after a legitimate short-term upgrade with a new wing or frontcourt player, who could then provide additional depth when George returns. Even in the midst of a disastrous 2024-25 season, for instance, the Sixers improved by adding Grimes at the deadline.

George can next take the floor for the Sixers’ March 25 home matchup against the Chicago Bulls. Then his team will face another familiar issue — a lack of time to build on-court cohesion before the postseason begins in mid-April.

Yet the Sixers’ road to bridge that gap began Saturday with a victory. They now have 24 games to go.

“We’ve got to get fighting and get to work,” Nurse said. “All those guys I just mentioned have got to embrace this opportunity. … Here’s a chance for them to do it again.”

Nick Nurse assumed Tyrese Maxey felt contact from the New York Knicks’ Landry Shamet and tried to draw a whistle in the shooting motion.

But Maxey would not bite when asked if he believed he was intentionally fouled when he hoisted an off-balance three-pointer with the 76ers trailing by three points and 5.8 seconds remaining Saturday.

“Nope,” the Sixers’ All-Star guard said. “I should have just taken one more dribble and shot it regular.”

For the second game in a row, it appeared the Sixers were on the unlucky side of crunch-time officiating. That Maxey moment — plus three others — helped create a finish that was both frenetic and interrupted by multiple stoppages in play for review.

Although the Sixers overcame a missed goaltending call in Thursday’s overtime victory over the Houston Rockets, Saturday’s calls (or no-calls) remained under the microscope in the aftermath of the Sixers’ wild 112-109 loss to the rival Knicks in a nationally televised game at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

“I think he was [fouled],” Nurse said when asked about the Maxey play. “No big deal. … Usually when [the opponent is] up three and you need three, teams are going to foul. But they didn’t [call it].”

Joel Embiid, meanwhile, was not afraid to speak his mind at his locker following the game. He believed he also had been intentionally fouled upon collecting the rebound after Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson missed two free throws with five seconds to play, keeping the Sixers’ deficit at three points. Embiid threw his arms up in disbelief when Brunson knocked the ball free, and New York’s OG Anunoby collected it as the final six-tenths of a second ticked off.

“I got fouled, for sure,” Embiid said. “Thought Tyrese got fouled, too. Two games in a row, but it’s whatever.”

When asked about both potential intentional fouls, crew chief Tony Brothers told pool reporter Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia that “During the game, we did not observe any illegal contact on the play.”

Those were not the only instances when the officiating became a storyline. With the Sixers trailing, 110-107, and 33.3 seconds remaining, Brunson was initially called for an off-ball foul for making contact with Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe ahead of an inbounds pass. Edgecombe flexed and screamed in celebration, but a coach’s challenge by the Knicks’ Mike Brown overturned the call to a foul on the Sixers rookie — a result Brunson acknowledged was “very satisfying.”

“They [said] you can’t play defense with your hands on nobody,” Edgecombe said of the explanation he received following the video review. “I guess I’ve got to play defense with my ‘eagles’ out and stand like this [with arms spread] the whole time. … I can’t touch nobody.”

Then, with 9.9 seconds to play, Sixers veteran forward Paul George was called for a foul at the rim that was overturned by a coach’s challenge by Nurse. Had the no-call on George been correct within the flow of the game, however, the Sixers could have immediately initiated their offense against a Knicks defense that was not set. There was also apparent contact from Embiid on Shamet away from the play, although Brothers said officials “did not observe any proximate foul during replay review.”

Those officiating moments arrived after a chaotic basketball sequence when the Sixers scored five points in less than five seconds to make it a one-possession game. Maxey hit a pull-up three-pointer with 37 seconds remaining before Edgecombe got tied up with Brunson to force a jump ball. Brunson then fouled Edgecombe, who hit both free throws to make the score 110-107 ahead of those players’ collision before the ensuing inbound pass.

And those whistles — or, non-whistles — came less than two days after a different officiating crew missed a goaltending call on a Maxey layup attempt off the backboard against Houston, which would have given the Sixers a lead in the final seconds of regulation.

After the game, crew chief John Goble said, “By rule, a goaltending would have to be called on the floor in order for that play to be reviewed. In real time, the officiating crew felt it was a good blocked shot.”

“It happens, man,” Maxey said after that game. “We’re all human.”

It surely was much easier for Maxey to be forgiving when the Sixers still pulled off the overtime victory. Yet after Saturday’s defeat, Maxey’s team could not solely blame the officiating.

They stumbled through another third quarter, when a stagnant offense allowed the Knicks to build a 17-point lead. The Sixers were outrebounded, 53-38, leading to a 26-4 Knicks edge in second-chance points in a direct callback to the 2024 first-round playoff series between these two teams. And down the stretch, the Sixers allowed Shamet and Anunoby to get free for clutch three-pointers to quell their rally attempt.

Still, the NBA’s Last Two Minute report from Thursday’s game revealed that the officials were incorrect in not calling goaltending on that driving Maxey attempt against the Rockets.

Saturday’s report might be even more of a doozy.

Andre Drummond prepares for each 76ers game with an identical routine. A weightlifting and running workout. A trip to the sauna. A meal of chicken and rice.

“The only thing that probably [will] change,” he told The Inquirer at his locker late Tuesday, “is I probably won’t take my warmup pants off some games.”

Such repetition is beneficial in situations like this week, when Drummond faced about as drastic of a role shift as a player can experience from one night to the next. The veteran center did not play in Monday’s 113-104 Sixers victory over the Indiana Pacers, then started Tuesday’s 116-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns in place of the injury-managing Joel Embiid. Teammate Adem Bona, meanwhile, was the backup center in both games but closed Tuesday’s matchup as the Sixers attempted a late rally against Phoenix.

Until that pecking order is more clear-cut, Sixers coach Nick Nurse said, those minutes and responsibilities for Drummond and Bona will continue to fluctuate from game to game, matchup to matchup, and, sometimes, “moment to moment.” Halfway through the regular season, both big men are used to the shifts.

“We’re both professionals at the end of the day,” Drummond said. “Whenever our number is called and whatever we’re needed for, I think we’ve both done a good job of being prepared and being ready for what’s to come.”

This back-to-back did come with some clarity in advance. Though Embiid has significantly progressed in his availability following multiple knee surgeries, he still will not play two consecutive nights. Nurse said last week that, in most cases, he prefers to start the 6-foot-11, 289-pound Drummond in the games Embiid misses. Opponents tend to go small with their backup big man, the coach concluded, which lends itself to a matchup with the athletic, 6-10 Bona.

That was how Tuesday unfolded. With a fresher body than teammates who played Monday, Drummond (eight points) said he attempted to set the tone with 15 rebounds — including six in the first quarter — that sometimes led to putbacks and kick-outs for three-pointers.

Bona, meanwhile, recorded his first double-double of the season, with 11 points and 10 rebounds. And after the Sixers fell behind by 17 points during a disastrous second-half stretch that was stamped with defensive and rebounding woes, Bona reentered. His block led to a Tyrese Maxey three-pointer to cut into Phoenix’s lead. He also recorded four rebounds during that stretch, including a putback off a VJ Edgecombe miss that got the Sixers within 112-105 with 3 minutes, 23 seconds remaining.

“We needed a little spark of energy,” Bona said, “so that was why Coach put me back in there.”

Added Nurse: “I probably wouldn’t do anything different there.”

Such pivots are helped by the fact that Drummond and Bona have been tight since they became teammates during the 2024 offseason.

They will double high-five like soccer players when they replace each other in the lineup. They can hear each other’s vocal support from the bench. Bona, who regularly unleashes a scream or flex after a high-flying dunk or block, said Drummond has helped him not get overly emotional about mistakes.

“Just having someone like that, making it easier for you to just step into the role,” said Bona, who is averaging 4.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 17.1 minutes across 33 games this season, “you’re never worried about if the other person is [ticked] or anything.”

Added Drummond: “He’s been seizing the opportunity, and I’m really happy for him.”

Those players have taken vastly different paths to this platoon in their second season together.

The 32-year-old Drummond, a two-time All-Star and one of the best rebounders of all time, was plagued last season by turf toe that he still manages by stepping onto an acupressure mat with replica pebble stones that press into the bottoms of his feet. Bona began his rookie season as a deep reserve who spent time in the G League before impressing as a rim protector and lob threat while sliding into the starting job when the Sixers transitioned into tank mode.

Though Bona won the backup job out of this fall’s training camp, both players had appeared to take control of that spot at various points this season. Yet even when Nurse makes a switch in the middle of the game, Bona said he “never” worries about being replaced if he stumbles during one of his stints.

“I know Coach is going to do what’s best for the team,” he said. “I don’t think I’m going to play a certain type of way to please Coach so I stay on the floor. I just go out there and give my all-out effort all the time, and whatever fits the matchup or the game at the moment, I trust Coach is going to do that.”

Those players’ differing styles and strengths, though, change how teammates such as forward Jabari Walker play alongside them.

Walker drifts out to the perimeter more frequently when Drummond is on the floor, he said, because Drummond takes up more space underneath the basket and will never pop out of a pick-and-roll. Bona’s presence allows Walker to be more aggressive defensively because they can both switch on screens and Bona is a reliable rim protector.

“It’s never a bad thing,” Walker said last week. “… They’ve done such a great job of just staying engaged and knowing that they’re both important to what our team needs. That’s all we can ask from them.”

Another frontcourt personnel wrinkle? Nurse has experimented with sliding Bona into that power forward spot next to Embiid. That duo had a plus-17.5 net rating in 40 minutes across six games entering Wednesday. Bona said learning how to play consistently in that look, where offensive spacing is crucial and going for every blocked shot is not necessary with Embiid as a defensive anchor, is a personal goal.

“[A player] should just be trying to figure out any way possible to get on the floor,” Nurse said. “And I think that’s more [Bona’s] mindset of, ‘Listen, if Joel’s healthy, he’s probably going to play a lot at the 5 [center]. So what else can I do to get some more minutes?’ And playing alongside him is obviously the answer to that.”

Bona and Drummond, whose $5 million expiring contract also makes him a player to watch entering the Feb. 5 trade deadline, are not the only Sixers navigating uncertain playing time.

Justin Edwards on Tuesday returned to the first-half rotation before Trendon Watford received second-half minutes. Nurse said pregame that the coaching staff is considering inserting guard Quentin Grimes into the starting lineup to try to jump-start the guard. With Kelly Oubre Jr. rounding back into form following a knee injury, a decision could loom about starting him or Dominick Barlow. Jared McCain has completely slipped out of the rotation and was sent on a G League assignment over the weekend.

And any time Drummond needs a mental boost throughout the uncertainty, he can glance at his right hand.

There, “DON’T QUIT” is tattooed in block letters. The placement is intentional, because “any time I put my head down, I normally see that first.” So is the message. After “doubting myself a little bit” during last season’s struggles to stay healthy and produce, Drummond decided to get the ink when he returned to Philly for the start of training camp.

“I needed to find a new way to get motivated again,” he said. “… That was my dedication to myself to not give up.”

No matter the role, which right now can shift drastically from one night to the next.

“I never take it personal,” Drummond said. “At the end of the day, I want to see everybody succeed …

“[I need to] continue to be the player that I am. Being a good locker room guy. Being ready when my number’s called. And being a great teammate.”