76ers Center Ariel Hukporti Out for Season with Torn Achilles

Philadelphia 76ers center Ariel Hukporti will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his right Achilles tendon during the team's preseason opener on Monday night. The injury occurred in the first quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

An MRI performed on Tuesday confirmed the severity of the injury, and Hukporti is scheduled to undergo surgery. The 76ers signed the 24-year-old big man to a one-year, $3.4 million contract in the offseason. He was a member of the Knicks' championship-winning team during the 2025-26 season.

Despite now playing for the 76ers, Hukporti's connection to his former team was evident when he was helped off the court by former teammate Karl-Anthony Towns. Knicks player Jalen Brunson described the injury as "definitely heartbreaking" and offered his well wishes, stating, "When I came back in the locker room, I went to go check on him. Sad to see. Obviously, we’ll pray for him."

Knicks head coach Mike Brown also expressed sympathy for Hukporti's situation. "We hope Ariel — whatever is wrong with him — he has a speedy recovery and he’s back on the floor," Brown said. "You hate to see anybody go down with an injury, but especially somebody who is a caliber person who Ariel is."

According to ESPN, the 76ers are eligible to apply for and receive a $1.7 million disabled player exception. However, the team is currently only $1.8 million below the league's first apron. This financial restriction means Philadelphia would not be able to sign a replacement player for Hukporti without waiving another player or executing a trade.