Sixers forward Dominick Barlow has been diagnosed with a lumbar spine bone stress response after undergoing imaging, the team announced Monday (Twitter link via Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports).

According to the 76ers, Barlow will be out at least two weeks, which is when he’ll be reevaluated.

After playing a relatively modest role in his first three NBA seasons with San Antonio and Atlanta, Barlow emerged as a reliable part of head coach Nick Nurse’s rotation with Philadelphia in 2025/26. The 6’9″ power forward made 71 appearances last season, including starts, and averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks in 23.8 minutes per game while playing solid, versatile defense.

Barlow was expected to vie for a rotation role again this season, but instead he’ll be sidelined until at least early November. The 23-year-old will miss, at minimum, the first seven games of the 2026/27 regular season.

Philadelphia will open the season shorthanded in the frontcourt, as free agent signee Ariel Hukporti — a 7’0″ center who spent the last two years with the Knicks — suffered a torn Achilles tendon against his former team in the preseason.

Barlow started last season on a two-way contract, but he was converted to a two-year, $6.8MM standard contract in February and had his 2026/27 team option exercised in June. He has been dealing with the back issue since at least early October, and didn’t play in any preseason games this fall.