Injury strikes again! The 76ers officially announce McKinnon's torn thumb ligament, with hopes to return to the court by late November.

On September 26th Beijing time, the 76ers confirmed that McKinnon tore the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right thumb during today's training session. McKinnon and the 76ers are currently seeking advice from medical professionals regarding treatment options, with additional progress to be announced when suitable.

For the 76ers, this is clearly yet another blow from injuries. Over the years, the team has consistently struggled with absences of key players, and the 2024-25 season is particularly challenging—after signing several high-paying contracts during the 2024 offseason, the 76ers managed only a disappointing 24 wins and 58 losses that season.

This injury also deals a setback to McKinnon's professional career. Selected 16th in the 2024 NBA Draft, McKinnon was one of the few bright spots during the 76ers' dismal start last season. Early in the 2024-25 season, he was considered a strong contender for Rookie of the Year: before a left knee lateral meniscus tear ended his season in December, he played 23 games, averaging 25.7 minutes, 15.3 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game, with shooting percentages of 46.0% from the field, 38.3% from three, and 87.5% from the free-throw line.

Earlier this month, McKinnon had expressed optimism about being ready for the start of the new season’s training camp, but unexpectedly, he has now suffered a new injury.

Additionally, the 76ers are dealing with other injury concerns. Since undergoing left knee surgery this spring, Embiid's recovery progress remains unclear. He played only 19 games last season and has not appeared since February. George had knee surgery in July this year, and updates on his recovery status are expected soon.

76ers reporter Derrick Bodner cited information from injury websites indicating that players who suffer UCL tears during the season typically miss about seven and a half weeks. In theory, this suggests McKinnon could return to play by late November.

It remains uncertain whether McKinnon’s injury will impact the 76ers’ contract negotiations with restricted free agent Grimes. Reports indicate that as the October 1 qualifying offer deadline approaches, the two sides remain “far apart” in their discussions.