Ariel Hukporti was tagged day-to-day Monday with an ankle and leg issue, and the injury report says he will still start that night against the Knicks. The 76ers center is playing through the preseason finale rather than sitting out.
What happened
The injury report listed Ariel Hukporti as day-to-day on Monday, Oct. 5 at 7:38 p.m. ET, with an ankle and leg issue. His previous status is not announced. Despite the designation, the report's comment says Hukporti will start in Monday's preseason game against the Knicks, with an expected return date of Oct. 5, the same day. No further detail on how the issue developed is included.
What it means for the 76ers
Philadelphia hosts the Knicks on Monday, Oct. 5 at 7:00 p.m. ET on NBA TV in a preseason game, with the 76ers at 0-0 since the 2026-27 season has not started. Last season Hukporti played 54 games at 9.2 minutes, averaging 2.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists, a bench-big role. Andre Drummond, who logs 19.5 minutes and 6.4 points in the team's rotation without Hukporti on the floor, is the other center absorbing those minutes. No regular-season games have been played yet, so there is no record split with or without him.
What to watch
Hukporti's expected return is listed as Oct. 5, the same date as the Knicks game, so the day-to-day tag has not kept him out of the lineup. The next injury report will show whether the ankle and leg issue affects him again before the 2026-27 season opener. More preseason games remain on the schedule before the regular season begins.
Is Ariel Hukporti playing vs Knicks?
Yes. The injury report lists him day-to-day with an ankle and leg issue but says he will start Monday's preseason game against the Knicks.
When will Hukporti be back?
He is not out. His expected return is listed as Oct. 5, the same day as the Knicks game, and he is set to start that game.