Joel Embiid will miss the entirety of the preseason as the Sixers manage his knee injury and Paul George will be re-evaluated in a week which would make Oct. 22 a target date for the next update for him.

The Sixers have been honest about their plan to make sure Embiid makes it to the finish line and is healthy for the playoffs.

It is going to be an uphill battle for Martin to convince the Sixers by February's trade deadline that he is worth keeping, but that is not an indictment of the Sixers' perception of his abilities. Martin's contract — a two-year deal with a non-guaranteed second season — was specifically designed to make him an appetizing trade piece down the line.