The new NBA season finally tips off on Tuesday night featuring a a budding rivalry between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics. However, the Sixers recently confirmed that they will be without 6-foot-11 big man Mike Muscala, who is currently nursing a right ankle sprain.
The Philadelphia 76ers announced that Mike Muscala is out tonight at the Boston Celtics.
Muscala joins Wilson Chandler on the shelf for the Sixers, who might be a little challenged for depth early on this season.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 16, 2018
Muscala arrived in Philadelphia this summer as part of the three-team trade between the Sixers, Atlanta Hawks, and Oklahoma City Thunder, which revolved around Carmelo Anthony.
Muscala was drafted 44th overall in 2013 by the Dallas Mavericks. The former Bucknell standout found his way to Atlanta after a draft day trade between the Mavs and Hawks involving Shane Larkin.
In five seasons with the Hawks, the 2017-18 season was arguably Muscala's best year with his former side. He averaged 7.6 points on 45.8 percent shooting, 1.2 3-pointers, 4.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 0.8 turnovers in 20.0 minutes per game off the bench.
The Sixers brought in Muscala over the summer to be Joel Embiid's primary backup at the 5. The team had to let go of Justin Anderson and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to acquire the services of the 27-year-old center, so it would be safe to assume Muscala figures to have a significant role in head coach Brett Brown's plans for the coming season.
With Muscala joining Wilson Chandler on the sidelines, the Sixers will be pretty thin in the frontcourt, though veteran Amir Johnson is still there to soak up backup center minutes. Fortunately for the team, Muscala is only day-to-day and should make his Sixers debut sooner rather than later.
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