Jared McCain tore a UCL in his right thumb during a workout, sidelining him and prompting the Sixers to consult specialists with a four-to-twelve week recovery window possible, depending on surgery. The absence could accelerate edge-case minutes for VJ Edgecombe as a rookie shoulders more responsibility ahead of the Oct. 22 opener vs. Boston.

The injury compounds McCain's prior knee setback and heightens speculation around Quentin Grimes' unsigned RFA status and potential Sixers cap implications. Kyle Lowry's Prime Video analyst role continues alongside his Sixers duties, while preseason games in Abu Dhabi vs. the Knicks shape early rotations and depth.