Sixers’ Hukporti Undergoing Imaging On Right Achilles

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters after the team’s 120-97 victory that Hukporti will undergo imaging on his right Achilles on Tuesday. While there’s no diagnosis yet, the club is clearly worried that the third-year center about the possibility of an Achilles tear, with several teammates expressing support for him in the locker room following the win.

“He’s like my brother,” forward Jabari Walker said. “It’s especially hard for me because I see the work he puts in. He just came to training camp and his energy has been great. He’s a great locker room guy. Man … that messed me up, honestly.”

“I just saw him for a little bit during the game,” Nurse added. “Gave him a big hug. He’s been a joy to coach in the short time he’s been here. Really a good dude. So, we’ll just hope for the best.”

Hukporti, who spent his first two NBA seasons in New York, made 54 regular season appearances last season for the Knicks, averaging 2.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per game. The 24-year-old German saw action in 10 games off the bench during the club’s postseaon run that culminated in a championship.

Hukporti signed a one-year, $3.4MM deal with Philadelphia this offseason in the hopes of competing with Adem Bona for the backup center role behind starter Joel Embiid. With Bona affected this fall by a left foot sprain, Hukporti had a prime opportunity to make his case for rotation minutes during the preseason. However, if imaging shows that he has torn his Achilles, his 2026/27 season would likely be over before it begins.

While the 76ers are hoping to avoid that worst-case scenario, it’s safe to assume the front office is already considering contingency plans in the middle. The team has an open two-way contract slot and could fill that opening with a center. Camp invitee Tacko Fall, who is on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal, is one potential two-way candidate, though he’s been dealing with an injury of his own, having strained his left hip last week.

As McMenamin observes, while Philadelphia has an open spot on its standard 15-man roster, the team doesn’t currently have enough room below its first-apron hard cap to sign a 15th man. Barring a cost-cutting move to create more cap flexibility, the Sixers won’t be able to fill that final roster spot with a prorated veteran’s minimum signing until December 4.

Walker, Dominick Barlow, and Dean Wade are all more natural fits at forward, but Nurse could experiment during the preseason with using them at the five.