Sixers say Ariel Hukporti ruptured right Achilles

The Philadelphia 76ers said center Ariel Hukporti ruptured his right Achilles during Monday’s preseason game and will undergo surgery Tuesday. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the injury will sideline Hukporti for the entire 2026-27 season, leaving Philadelphia without a reserve center it had signed this summer to compete for minutes behind Joel Embiid. The injury occurred less than five minutes into Hukporti’s preseason debut with the Sixers against the New York Knicks, his former team. He fell while guarding Karl-Anthony Towns and immediately grabbed the back of his lower right leg before leaving the game. After Philadelphia’s initial assessment, coach Nick Nurse said Hukporti would undergo imaging on the Achilles. The team later confirmed the rupture and planned surgery. Hukporti, 24, joined Philadelphia on a one-year contract after spending his first two NBA seasons with New York. The Sixers expected him to compete with Adem Bona for the backup-center role. Bona has been affected by a left foot sprain, according to the reports, while forwards Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow are among the players Philadelphia could use in smaller lineups at center.