A brutal night for Ariel Hukporti turned into a costly one for the 76ers, and the aftermath now leaves Philadelphia even thinner up front.
Hukporti suffered a non-contact injury early in Monday night’s game at Xfinity Mobile Arena, grabbing his lower right leg on defense with 7:15 left in the first quarter. Former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns helped walk him toward the tunnel, while Philadelphia teammates stood nearby. A clip from the moment also showed LeBron James smiling and talking with Knicks assistant Rick Brunson as Towns supported Hukporti.
The scene drew attention quickly, but the bigger issue came the next day. The 76ers announced Tuesday that an MRI confirmed a torn right Achilles tendon, and Hukporti later underwent 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. He had been in line to handle backup center minutes for Philadelphia, but that plan now looks compromised before the season even gets going.
Nick Nurse had already put his stars in street clothes for the night, resting LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as healthy scratches. Philadelphia still rolled to a 120-97 win over the defending champion New York Knicks, but the game’s most jarring moment came before the first quarter was halfway over.
“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 lands especially hard because the Sixers’ frontcourt depth was already thin. 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 throughout the year.
Philadelphia can pursue a disabled-player exception worth half of Hukporti’s salary, though the team’s financial flexibility remains tight.
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