LeBron James drew attention for what the camera caught on the sideline Monday night, but the bigger story in Philadelphia was the injury that unfolded in front of him.
With James in street clothes at Xfinity Mobile Arena, the 76ers hosted the defending champion New York Knicks and rolled to a 120-97 win. Nick Nurse rested James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, treating them as healthy scratches rather than injury absences. That left the spotlight on the rest of the roster early, and Ariel Hukporti got the start against the team that drafted him.
The game turned quickly. With 7:15 left in the first quarter, Hukporti went down on a non-contact play while defending and grabbed at his lower right leg. Former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns helped walk him toward the tunnel, with Philadelphia players nearby as he left the floor.
A clip from the moment showed James smiling and talking with Knicks assistant Rick Brunson while Towns supported Hukporti. The image traveled fast because of the contrast: one sideline conversation playing out in the background while another player was being helped off in obvious pain.
The diagnosis came Tuesday. The 76ers said an MRI confirmed a torn right Achilles tendon, and Hukporti later had surgery. ESPN reported the diagnosis after the team confirmed the imaging.
Hukporti, 24, signed a one-year, $3.4 million deal in July after winning a championship with the Knicks last season.
“Huk has been a joy to have,” Jaylen Brown said. “He’s been great in the locker room, so it sucks to see a guy like that go down.”
“He’s been a joy to coach in the short time he’s been here,” Nick Nurse said. “Really a good dude. So, we’ll just hope for the best.”
The injury leaves Philadelphia even thinner in the frontcourt. Adem Bona has missed camp with a left foot sprain, and Tacko Fall remains out with a left hip sprain. Embiid has looked healthy in camp, but Nurse plans to manage his minutes during the season.
Hukporti was expected to handle backup center minutes, and that job now looks open before the real games begin. The 76ers can pursue a disabled-player exception worth half of his salary, though the team’s financial flexibility remains tight.
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