Embiid-Bona Duo Unleashed: Can This New Frontcourt Powerhouse Transform the Sixers’ Destiny?

In a setup that’s stirring up the preseason buzz, Joel Embiid has stepped back onto the court, joining forces with the young and intriguing Adem Bona during the Sixers’ Blue-White scrimmage this past Sunday at Chase Fieldhouse. It’s clear Coach Nick Nurse is intrigued by the pairing — juggling the puzzle of minutes with Paul George still sidelined and Trendon Watford nursing tight hamstrings makes for an open canvas in the frontcourt. Bona, with his towering wingspan and rim-protecting instincts, offers a stark contrast to Embiid’s versatile offensive arsenal, hinting at a dynamic that could shift how the Sixers approach their game. As the team navigates these evolving rotations, the hope and uncertainty hang heavily on Embiid’s health—his first live action since knee surgery gave fans a glimpse of his progress. The blend of Bona’s raw athleticism and Embiid’s seasoned skillset might just be the twist this Sixers squad needs… but how it plays out remains the big question. LEARN MORE

Joel Embiid’s in the middle of a new twist to Sixers head coach Nick Nurse’s preseason tinkering.

Embiid featured Sunday in the Sixers’ annual Blue-White scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware. And he shared the floor with another big man in Adem Bona.

Nurse confirmed after the scrimmage that he’s “trying to look at Bona and Joel together.” With Paul George sidelined as he works back from a left knee injury and Trendon Watford out because of right hamstring tightness, it’s not yet clear how the Sixers will divvy up power forward minutes. Two-way contract player Dominick Barlow has played well this preseason and fellow two-way Jabari Walker has also been in the mix.

Bona is an unconventional option, although Nurse noted his role may not change much alongside Embiid. The 22-year-old stuck almost exclusively to dunks, layups, put-backs and the occasional post-up his rookie year. In contrast, Embiid’s jump shooting and overall array of offensive skills have historically been giant strengths.

“I think there’s kind of an open position at the four, especially right now with Paul not being quite ready yet,” Nurse said. “There’s a number of guys that we’re trying to work into that spot. … (Bona) is probably going to be more of the five. He’s going to play down toward the basket, rim protect and things like that. There’s certainly some drives and dump-offs to him … that are high-percentage plays. I like that part. He’ll help the rebounding, he’ll help the rim protection. We’ll see how it goes.”’

Bona brought his typical shot swatting to the scrimmage and stared down Johni Broome after denying the rookie a dunk. He’s pleased at the prospect of playing next to Embiid.

“I think it brings another dynamic to the team,” Bona said. “It’s going to bring a huge amount of size and presence in the paint.”

While Bona measured a tad over 6-foot-8 without shoes at the NBA draft combine, he indeed plays much bigger. The UCLA product’s wingspan is a shade under 7-4. He posted a 40-inch maximum vertical leap at the combine and sure seems to have added to that.

Of course, most Sixers projections ride on Embiid’s health. He scrimmaged Sunday, moved smoothly and scored plenty.

The Sixers have avoided timelines in discussing Embiid’s return from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. The scrimmage was his first live action in front of a crowd since Feb. 22.

“I knew this would be the first time you guys had seen him for a long time,” Nurse said. “I don’t know how many weeks this is now — I’m losing track — but he’s been out there playing. Again, just trying to continue to progress.

“Today was a good progression day. Lots of running, lots of 5-on-5, lots of early practice stuff, lots of 5-on-0. … And then he went out there and did his thing. He shot the ball well, he scored well, he orchestrated the offense well. I thought he ran pretty good as well — both directions.”

Bona would love to see all of that translate to games. When the Sixers drafted him, he envisioned frontcourt minutes with Embiid.

“I’ve been working toward that,” he said, “and I’m really excited to see how that’s going to look.”