October 19, 2026
Colleen Claggett/for PhillyVoice
Dean Wade turned his ankle during the Sixers' preseason finale on Friday night.
None of the Sixers' five projected starers are listed on the team's initial injury report for Tuesday's season opener at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks unveiled on Monday, but multiple key reserves are:
Dean Wade, signed to a four-year contract worth a maximum of $38.7 million over the summer, turned his ankle in Friday's preseason finale. He did not participate in practices on Sunday or Monday. The Sixers' most important reserve, Wade has a lengthy injury history including multiple ankle ailments. In seven NBA seasons, Wade has only exceeded 60 games one time; he logged 61 appearances as a second-year player.
Anfernee Simons, the veteran sharpshooter set to serve as the Sixers' top perimeter reserve, did not play in preseason but participated in the Sixers' last few practices – an indication that he was likely going to be available on Tuesday. "I can't confirm or deny that," Simons said on Monday when asked if he expected to be available for the opener.
Adem Bona, the clear frontrunner to be the Sixers' backup center in the wake of Ariel Hukporti's season-ending Achilles tear, missed all of preseason with a foot sprain suffered during international competition in the summer. Asked on Sunday if he could be available in New York, Bona said the decision will "come down to the coaches and the medical staff, but it’s day-to-day."
Dominick Barlow missed all four of the Sixers' preseason games and the vast majority of practice due to a back issue; he has appeared to have a longer road back to the court than Wade, Simons or Bona. Barlow has been sidelined for multiple weeks now; the Sixers announced that he will be reevaluated in two weeks after imagining revealed a lumbar spine bone stress response.
Tacko Fall missed nearly all of training camp, plus the Sixers' four exhibitions, after suffering a hip strain. It did not stop him from earning a two-way contract; the Sixers badly needed center insurance after Ariel Hukporti suffered a season-ending Achilles tear, but Fall is not quite ready yet. He did individualized work during Saturday's practice, but Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said he did not participate at all on Monday.
Asked for an update on Josh Hart, Knicks coach Mike Brown answered for the whole roster: "Yeah, no, no, everybody's healthy. Nobody was held out of any portion of practice." He did not address Hart individually.
— NBA Wire (@nbapresserwire) October 19, 2026
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