76ers 3 goals: Adem Bona needs to return with versatile offensive game - Sixers Wire

In this new series, Sixers Wire looks at the 16 players, per Spotrac, that comprise the Philadelphia 76ers roster — 14 under standard contracts and the two players on two-way deals — and gives each three goals for the 2026-27 season.

The new season begins on Oct. 20, and training camp is right around the corner. Now is the time to begin previewing the new season of adventure that is Sixers basketball.

Up next in this series is big man Adem Bona who is entering his third season in the league. The Sixers selected Bona with the No. 41 pick out of UCLA in 2024 and he has made strides. He averaged 4.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in the 2025-26 season.

Bona is an extremely hard worker, so one has to assume that he has worked on this part of his game all summer. The energetic and bouncy big man has been seen working on his 3-point shot in the gym and if he can bring that to the floor for the Sixers, then it changes everything. He can be somebody who Philadelphia can rely on for more than just alley-oops and rim rolls. When considering the Sixers will have plenty of players who can get into the paint, if Bona can add a corner 3-point shot to his game, it would be a huge lift.

This has been the biggest bugaboo with Bona. While the big man is always ready to block a shot and make things happen for Philadelphia defensively, it can get him into trouble a bit. He averaged 2.2 fouls per game in 2025-26. That's the same amount of fouls he averaged in his rookie season. It might not matter as much anymore when considering the Sixers were able to add some real depth to this bench unit, but Bona can help his case to stay in the rotation with less fouls.

The Sixers brought in Hukporti early in free agency and the Sixers will likely have him and Bona battle it out for the big man spot. Hukporti is a similar player to Bona in which they are both solid rim protectors, play with a ton of energy, and their offensive games is limited around the rim. If Bona can really come back with a 3-point shot, then that changes his outlook in terms of earning more minutes on this team and staying in Nurse's rotation for the future. The training camp battle between the two of them will be fascinating.