Sixers sign – After two seasons with the Knicks, Ariel Hukporti agreed to a one-year, $3.4MM contract with the Sixers. The move reshapes Philadelphia’s center rotation behind Joel Embiid and arrives as the team stays projected to be well below major salary thresholds, even
The decision landed fast for Ariel Hukporti: after two NBA seasons with the Knicks, he agreed to sign a one-year, $3.4MM contract with the Sixers.
Hukporti, 24, had been a sparing piece for New York as a rookie in 2024/25, when he was drafted 58th overall. This past season, under new head coach Mike Brown, he saw more court time. The seven-foot German appeared in 54 games, starting five, and averaged 2.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per night.
His production wasn’t the only reason the Sixers are taking notice. He also logged 10 postseason appearances for the Knicks, including in Games 4 and 5 of the NBA Finals.
The Knicks ultimately chose a different route than keeping him restricted. New York had the option of tendering Hukporti a qualifying offer ahead of Monday’s deadline. That offer would have been worth roughly $2.65MM and would have made him a restricted free agent. But the team, aiming to remain below the second tax apron, opted not to issue that QO. With no qualifying offer, Hukporti became an unrestricted free agent and was able to sign outright with Philadelphia.
By the reported terms of his agreement, he’ll be making more than a minimum salary that would have been around $2.45MM.
Philadelphia’s roster math is already part of the story. The 76ers are expected to use a portion of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to complete a four-year contract with free agent forward Dean Wade. though they’re also expected to have more than enough left over to fit Hukporti into the MLE too. A bi-annual exception is also an option, but that seems less likely at this point.
Hukporti’s role is set up by the depth chart. He’s expected to compete for backup minutes behind Joel Embiid at the five this fall. With Adem Bona also likely in the mix for that role. the timing of this signing has an implication in the background: it may signal that Andre Drummond’s time with the Sixers is coming to an end.
Cap projections add another layer to the decision. Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron tweeted that, based on the reported deals, the Sixers are projected to be $4.6MM below the luxury tax line and $13.2MM below their first-apron hard cap, with 13 players under contract.
What happens next depends on where Philadelphia wants to land financially. It’s unclear whether they intend to go into the tax—perhaps by re-signing Kelly Oubre Jr.—or whether the plan is to stay under the threshold.
For Hukporti, the move also preserves future flexibility. He’ll be eligible for restricted free agency again in 2027.
Ariel Hukporti Philadelphia 76ers New York Knicks Joel Embiid Mike Brown Dean Wade Adem Bona Andre Drummond non-taxpayer mid-level exception luxury tax line