The Philadelphia 76ers season has already taken a massive blow before it's even started. In Monday night's preseason opener against the New York Knicks, newly signed Sixers big man Ariel Hukporti suffered a non-contact right leg injury against his former team, resulting in him leaving Philadelphia's 120-97 win early in the first quarter.
Initial fear surrounding the 76ers was that Hukporti suffered a significant right leg injury, and upon undergoing further imaging on Tuesday morning, league sources confirmed to ClutchPoints that the 24-year-old center suffered a torn right Achilles tendon and will miss the entirety of the 2026-27 season.
Roughly five minutes into Monday night's game, Hukporti fell to the court in obvious discomfort after pushing off his right leg to contest a Karl-Anthony Towns' 3-point attempt. Hukporti immediately began clutching the back of his lower right leg in front of New York's bench, leading many to believe that he had suffered an Achilles injury.
Sixers center Ariel Hukporti left the game against the Knicks with a non-contact injury on this play.
Hope he's okay 🙏pic.twitter.com/V6tBhO4Usk
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 5, 2026
Knicks head coach Mike Brown, several former teammates, and the Sixers training staff surrounded Hukporti, who was helped to his feet moments later by the 76ers' medical staff and Towns. Not putting any weight on his right leg, Hukporti was helped off the court with his arms around his former Knicks teammate and members of the Sixers staff.
Hukporti left the arena in a walking boot and on crutches.
In July, Hukporti signed a one-year, $3.4 million contract with the 76ers after the Knicks declined to bring him back after the team's championship run. Towns, Jalen Brunson, and many members of the Knicks organization loved having Hukporti on the team, and many of them checked on him after the game in Philadelphia.
“Definitely heartbreaking. When I came back in the locker room, I went to go check on him,” Brunson said after the game. “Sad to see. Obviously, we’ll pray for him.”
New 76ers star Jaylen Brown also shared his thoughts on the injury to Hukporti after the game, saying that the new Sixers big man is a “joy to have” on the team and that “he's been great in the locker room.”
This is the second time Hukporti has suffered an Achilles injury, as he suffered a season-ending left Achilles tendon rupture while playing for the NBL's Melbourne United in 2022.
76ers face major consequences without Ariel Hukporti
With Hukporti out for the 2026-27 season, the 76ers face a major roster and financial obstacle.
Next to Adem Bona, who hasn't participated in training camp due to a left foot sprain he suffered in the offseason, Hukporti was expected to hold a key role off the bench. Star center Joel Embiid has missed 150 total regular-season games over the last three seasons, roughly 61% of the 76ers' games, and his playing time will be closely monitored throughout the year.
Aside from missing back-to-backs over the course of the season, Embiid's overall health is a major question mark for the 76ers. That is why having Bona and Hukporti available on the bench is vital to this organization.
Losing Hukporti puts the 76ers in a tough spot financially as well, since the team is just $1.8 million below the first apron. Although the 76ers currently have an open roster spot with only 14 players under contract, they are not allowed to exceed the first apron this season, meaning they couldn't replace Hukporti by signing another player to a minimum contract.
This remains true even if the league were to reward the 76ers with a disabled player exception.
Article Continues BelowTheoretically, the Sixers could waive Jabari Walker, who is only has $250,000 guaranteed on his contract, and create enough cap flexibility to bring in a new big man via free agency. However, Walker now becomes an important frontcourt piece in Philadelphia with Hukporti out for the year.
The only other move the 76ers could make is a minor trade to add a different center on a minimum-like deal or create financial flexibility, yet such a deal would likely involve Philadelphia needing to trade some sort of second-round draft capital.
Now that Hukporti won't be available for the whole 2026-27 campaign, the 76ers could look to convert 7-5 center Tacko Fall from his Exhibit 10 contract with the team to their final two-way contract. If Fall was to sign a two-way deal, he would join Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert as the 76ers' three two-way signings this offseason.
Unfortunately for Fall, he is currently sidelined with a left hip strain and has not been available for training camp. If the 76ers do not sign fall to a two-way contract, the team could look elsewhere to add another frontcourt piece for extra depth without Hukporti and fill their final two-way spot next to Love and Rupert.
Behind Embiid, head coach Nick Nurse will be tasked with rotating minutes at the center position between Bona, Dominick Barlow, and Fall — throughout his two-way eligibility. Walker and Dean Wade could also see some time at the five in small-ball rotations.
The 76ers will play three more preseason games, with their next battle taking place on Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets in Barclays Center, before playing hitting the road to open the 2026-27 season on Oct. 20 in Madison Square Garden against the defending champion Knicks.