It's no secret the 76ers' center depth situation is a difficult one. The hodgepodge of Adem Bona, Tacko Fall, Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker features players who are hurt, question marks in terms of capabilities and/or undersized.

As a result, Philadelphia needs to keep its eyes open for any big man who could help. And one just became available: Lawson Lovering, whom the Lakers released earlier this week from his two-way contract.

Lovering wasn't claimed on waivers, making him a free agent at the NBA level (even though his G League rights were picked up by Memphis). Considering what he brings to the table, Lovering is more than worth the Sixers' consideration.

76ers should explore Spencer Lovering as two-way option for more immediate center help

Lovering showcased his pro potential toward the end of last season with the Grizzlies, recording three points, four rebounds and two steals in 17 minutes on Feb. 11. Then, in the very next game, Lovering received the start and played over 30 minutes, which saw him respond with an impressive 11 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal.

Though he didn't get any NBA opportunities beyond that as a rookie, the promising signs were there. The Utah product put together a solid overall campaign in the G League as well, notching 7.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg and 1.3 bpg across 30 contests in 2025-26.

Los Angeles cutting him loose might raise some concerns, but the environment also matters deeply for players like Lovering who are trying to break through. The Lakers brought in multiple new centers this offseason, including a huge get in Walker Kessler, so there likely wasn't much time to devote to Lovering.

In Philadelphia, though, the 76ers' main focus is on finding and developing quality frontcourt depth, with the new-look starting lineup taking care of a lot of the heavy lifting. That lends itself well to Philly tapping into the potential Lovering displayed only a few months ago.

Something the Sixers would have to figure out is how to get Lovering in the door with all three two-way spots currently taken. That said, sacrificing either non-center signed to two-way contracts (Rayan Rupert and Caleb Love) would be the kind of necessary move a contender makes to shore up its biggest weakness.

Philadelphia could also go down the path of deciding if Fall is really worth carrying. He doesn't appear to have Nick Nurse's trust, recording just four total minutes played so far. And he's been out of the league since the 2022 campaign, while also turning 31 years old in just a few weeks. Fall has had his chances in the pros due to his size, yet the ability to turn that into a tangible impact on games still may be missing.

But in the seven-foot Lovering, the Sixers wouldn't lose any meaningful size swapping out Fall for the newly available big man. Plus, Lovering has more recent, promising NBA production to his name. He also just turned 23 years old in May, giving him long-term upside with the organization in the best-case scenario.

With Joel Embiid falling to the floor and limping in seemingly most games now, it's clear the 76ers need to get him some real help, and not just the undersized kind like Walker that can plug a few minutes in the early going. There's no guarantee Lovering is the ultimate solution, but he could be part of the answer here with Fall's impact at zero and Barlow and Bona both managing injuries.