What happened: Ariel Hukporti suffered a season-ending Achilles tear. Per Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, Philadelphia is unlikely to sign a big man to a standard deal before early December, when a prorated minimum no longer pushes payroll past the first apron. The only sooner path is a trade shedding roughly $600,000 in salary.

Why it matters: The absence leaves Joel Embiid without a true backup entering the 2026-27 preseason, raising workload risk given his injury history. Philadelphia could go small with Dean Wade, Dominick Barlow or LeBron James at center, while preseason standout Jabari Walker is a possible salary-shedding trade chip.

What to watch: Watch who backs up Embiid in preseason and whether Philadelphia fills its third two-way spot first. Early December is the next window, when a prorated minimum fits under the first apron.