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Poly Rating · from the trend of the day

NBA Players With Most Missed Games: Big Men Ranked 2026

Joel Embiid has missed about as many NBA games as he has played, roughly 490 each counted from the draft, and has been paid about $655,000 for every game he did play.

No. 1: Joel Embiid
10 places
Current as of October 22, 2026, 00:51 EDT

01Final list

The leading AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.

Order: from most to least AI agreement.

A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.

1
Joel Embiid
He has missed about 39% of games since his 2016 debut, or about 50% counted from the 2014 draft. He earned about $655K per game played (calculated), with a peak BPM near 10.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, MiMo, StepFun, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Nova, Wenxin, Kimi.
In their lists: Claude: 1 · ChatGPT · Meta: 1 · Gemini: 1 · MiMo: 1 · StepFun: 1 · DeepSeek: 1 · Qwen: 2
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 1
  485 games played and 485 missed (counted from the draft), with a peak BPM of 11.6 and a 3-season BPM average of about 10.
- ChatGPT
  Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
- Metaplace 1
  474 missed of 964 possible 49% coin flip, yet 3yr $193M extension at $58M, 26.9 ppg in only 38 games last year
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 1
  Despite boasting a historic peak PER of 31.4 that rivaled Wilt Chamberlain, he missed more than 45% of possible regular season games while collecting over $250 million in career wages.
  Source ↗
- MiMoplace 1
  About 495 games missed against 491 played — and321𝑀𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑,𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑙𝑦321Mcollected,roughly654K per game actually played.
  Source ↗
- StepFunplace 1
  $321.1M in career earnings for 490 games played — roughly $656,000 per game — and a career in which he has missed about half of every season's schedule.
  Source ↗
- DeepSeekplace 1
  He has missed 494 of 984 possible games — as many as he has played.
  Source ↗
- Qwenplace 2
  A generational talent whose $650k-per-game cost is justified by a peak PER of 31.2, though chronic knee issues persist.
  Source ↗
8 AIs put it here
Source ↗
2
Zion Williamson
He has played 276 games in seven seasons, missing about half. That is about $558K per game played (calculated); Spotrac's leaderboard total would make it $710K.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, MiMo, StepFun, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Nova, Wenxin, Kimi.
In their lists: Claude: 2 · ChatGPT · Meta: 2 · Gemini: 2 · MiMo: 2 · StepFun: 3 · DeepSeek: 2 · Qwen: 1
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 2
  He has been available about 52% of the time (234 of 447 games to early January 2026).
  Source ↗
- ChatGPT
  Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
- Metaplace 2
  219 of 480 possible 45.6% missed, 28.5 games per season avg, 25.8 ppg career on 58.5% FG
- Geminiplace 2
  An unstoppable interior force when running the floor, his absence from over 55% of scheduled contests has cost New Orleans upwards of $570,000 for every single game he took the court.
  Source ↗
- MiMoplace 2
  246 games missed by age 24 — three full seasons' worth — then 61 healthy games flipped 42M of guarantees.
- StepFunplace 3
  The most expensive seat in the era: about $710,000 per game played, $196.1M for 276 games, and more career games missed than played by a wide margin.
  Source ↗
- DeepSeekplace 2
  276 games in seven seasons — he has played 48.1% of the games he could have.
- Qwenplace 1
  Has missed 56% of his possible career games while commanding a max salary, costing over $550k per actual game played.
  Source ↗
8 AIs put it here
Source ↗
3
Kristaps Porzingis
He has played 533 games in 11 seasons, missing about 41%, including all of 2018-19 after the ACL tear. That is about $441K-$445K per game, and he is now out indefinitely with POTS.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, Nova, MiMo, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: StepFun, Wenxin, Kimi.
In their lists: Claude: 3 · ChatGPT · Meta: 3 · Gemini: 4 · Nova · MiMo: 4 · DeepSeek: 3 · Qwen: 4
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 3
  He has missed about 40% of his possible games, and has played just 15 for Golden State since being traded from Atlanta.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPT
  Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
- Metaplace 3
  533 career games of 800+ possible ∼35% missed, POTS now indefinite, $3M guarantee flips $40M to expiring
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 4
  The namesake archetype of modern unicorns, Porzingis missed 41% of career games to ACL surgery, meniscus repairs, and POTS while commanding over $220 million in earnings.
  Source ↗
- Nova
  Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
- MiMoplace 4
  533 games in 11 possible seasons; his only All-Star year was 2017-18 — and 'the Unicorn' now weighs retirement at 31.
  Source ↗
- DeepSeekplace 3
  533 games in 11 seasons — and the latest absence is a career question, not a calf.
  Source ↗
- Qwenplace 4
  Missed 35% of his career games, including an entire ACL season, but delivers elite 27+ PER peaks when healthy.
  Source ↗
8 AIs put it here
Source ↗
More about the top three ↓
4
Anthony Davis
He has missed only about 28-30% of possible games, but at about $452K per game (calculated) and a peak BPM of 9.4. Then he played just 20 games in 2025-26.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, MiMo, StepFun, DeepSeek, Qwen. Did not include: Nova, Wenxin, Kimi.
In their lists: Claude: 5 · ChatGPT · Meta: 4 · Gemini: 7 · MiMo: 3 · StepFun: 4 · DeepSeek: 5 · Qwen: 5
What each AI noted 8
- Claudeplace 5
  He has missed 'only' about 28% of possible games, but he fell from 76 games in 2023-24 to 20 in 2025-26 with a BPM that peaked at 9.4.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPT
  Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
- Metaplace 4
  232 games missed across 11 seasons avg 21 per year, never played 80 games, 76 games in 2023-24 career high
- Geminiplace 7
  Consistently producing Top-5 two-way numbers with a 28.5 PER, his 250+ regular-season absences cost contending Lakers and Pelicans squads prime seeding throughout his twenties.
  Source ↗
- MiMoplace 3
  The highest peak PER of any No. 1 pick since LeBron — and 31 of 85 games in his last full stop.
  Source ↗
- StepFunplace 4
  The highest peak on this list — a 26.68 career PER, fourth all-time — bought for 807 of about 1,148 possible games, and only 20 of them last season.
  Source ↗
- DeepSeekplace 5
  807 games in 14 seasons — the most durable of the fragile giants, which says a lot.
  Source ↗
- Qwenplace 5
  Despite missing 30% of possible games, his 31.0 peak PER and championship pedigree keep him highly valued by front offices.
  Source ↗
8 AIs put it here
Source ↗
5
DeMarcus Cousins
A four-time All-Star whose Achilles, quad and ACL tears all came within about 18 months. He cost only about $141K-$144K per game because the injuries came before his big contract.
Included it: Claude, Meta, Gemini, Nova, MiMo, DeepSeek, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, StepFun, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 7 · Meta: 8 · Gemini: 6 · Nova · MiMo: 9 · DeepSeek: 6 · Kimi: 6
What each AI noted 7
- Claudeplace 7
  A 4-time All-Star and 2-time All-NBA center, he got just 654 games in 11 seasons, losing 2019-20 to an ACL tear.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 8
  488 missed of 680 early career games after Achilles 2018, 4x All-Star 27-12-5 peak shows worth-the-wait bet
- Geminiplace 6
  An All-NBA dominant big whose career was derailed by an Achilles tear, quad tear, and torn ACL inside 18 months, converting a $140 million superstar run into a tragic string of recovery contracts.
  Source ↗
- Nova
  Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
- MiMoplace 9
  A four-time All-Star career ended by 31: an Achilles tear at 27, a quad tear in the playoffs at 28, an ACL tear at 29.
  Source ↗
- DeepSeekplace 6
  654 games before the NBA moved on — the Achilles turned a max player into a minimum.
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 6
  The cheapest per game on this list (~$165K) but the largest basketball loss: a top-3 player in the world at 27, effectively out of the league by 31 after an Achilles tear.
7 AIs put it here
Source ↗
6
Robert Williams III
He has played 294 games in eight seasons, missing 46% by Claude's count or 54% by Kimi's, with a peak BPM of 6.0. Portland still added $44M in 2026.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, MiMo, Kimi. Did not include: Nova, StepFun, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 4 · ChatGPT · Meta: 6 · Gemini: 5 · MiMo: 6 · Kimi: 7
What each AI noted 6
- Claudeplace 4
  His 294 games over eight seasons are fewer than Embiid's, but his peak BPM of 6.0 came on a rookie-scale-era contract.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPT
  Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
- Metaplace 6
  Career 35% games missed, defensive BPM +3, $13M deal but only 35 games per season avg
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 5
  Dubbed 'Time Lord' for his generational shot-blocking metrics (+4.2 BPM), chronic knee surgery kept him on the sidelines for over 52% of all regular season assignments.
  Source ↗
- MiMoplace 6
  He averaged 35 games a season through six years while posting the league's best per-minute block rate — the definition of 'worth the wait.'
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 7
  The highest missed-game share in the top 10 — 54% — and Portland just paid him $44M more anyway, because a healthy Time Lord changes a defense by himself.
  Source ↗
6 AIs put it here
Source ↗
7
Blake Griffin
A six-time All-Star with 765 career games. Kimi counts 42% of games missed after 2015, when knee and quad injuries took his prime.
Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, Meta, DeepSeek, Kimi. Did not include: Gemini, Nova, MiMo, StepFun, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 9 · ChatGPT · Meta: 9 · DeepSeek: 7 · Kimi: 9
What each AI noted 5
- Claudeplace 9
  He played 765 games and was a 6-time All-Star and 5-time All-NBA, but his career ended after 41 games with Boston.
  Source ↗
- ChatGPT
  Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
- Metaplace 9
  Missed 30% of possible since 2015, 6x All-Star, teams kept paying for 21-9-5 peak BPM +5
- DeepSeekplace 7
  765 games, but he missed his entire rookie year and still made five All-NBA teams.
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 9
  From MVP runner-up to minimum contracts: 42% of possible games missed after 2015 — knee surgery, then the quad, then everything — while earning roughly $450K per game in that span.
  Source ↗
5 AIs put it here
Source ↗
8
Mitchell Robinson
He played 397 games in eight Knicks seasons, missing about 38%, including 58 straight with one ankle injury. Boston still paid him $47.4M this summer.
Included it: Claude, Meta, MiMo, Kimi. Did not include: ChatGPT, Gemini, Nova, StepFun, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 6 · Meta: 7 · MiMo: 8 · Kimi: 8
What each AI noted 4
- Claudeplace 6
  He has played 398 games in nine seasons, but his season-long PER of 22.0 as a rookie hinted at a player who never stayed on the floor.
  Source ↗
- Metaplace 7
  $15M cap hit but missed 50+ games in 2 of last 4 seasons, 8 blocks per 100 possessions when healthy
  Source ↗
- MiMoplace 8
  Tied for 14th in Knicks seasons played but 30th in franchise games played — the gap is the entire story.
  Source ↗
- Kimiplace 8
  242 missed games in eight seasons — including 58 straight with the same ankle — and Boston still committed $47.4M the summer he won a title from the bench.
  Source ↗
4 AIs put it here
Source ↗
9
Jaren Jackson Jr.
He has played 455 games in eight seasons, missing about 31%. Utah still owes him $151.5M through 2028-29, the latest 'worth the wait' bet on a big man.
Included it: ChatGPT, Meta, Gemini, StepFun. Did not include: Claude, Nova, MiMo, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Kimi, Qwen.
In their lists: ChatGPT · Meta: 10 · Gemini: 9 · StepFun: 8
What each AI noted 4
- ChatGPT
  Named differently in its own list: open the full list.
- Metaplace 10
  Defensive POY but missed 110 games early, $25M per year looks cheap vs $57M peers, 3.0 blocks per game peak
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 9
  The youngest modern DPOY winner lost over 120 games early in his career to meniscus tears and stress fractures, forcing Memphis to wait three seasons before unlocking his defensive dominance.
  Source ↗
- StepFunplace 8
  455 games in eight seasons — about 31% missed — and now $151.5M over four years, the clearest case of paying for the player he is in the games he does play.
4 AIs put it here
Source ↗
10
Jonathan Isaac
The 2017 No. 6 pick has played 328 games, missing about 45% of Orlando's games. That is about $349K per game (calculated), and his last salary vested only at 52 games.
Included it: Claude, Gemini, MiMo. Did not include: ChatGPT, Meta, Nova, StepFun, DeepSeek, Wenxin, Kimi, Qwen.
In their lists: Claude: 8 · Gemini: 3 · MiMo: 5
What each AI noted 3
- Claudeplace 8
  The No. 6 pick of 2017 has played 328 games and earned at least $114.5M, about $349K per game played.
  Source ↗
- Geminiplace 3
  Orlando bet over $80 million on his All-Defensive ceiling despite Isaac missing over 65% of his career games, including back-to-back full calendar years lost to ACL and hamstring rehabilitation.
  Source ↗
- MiMoplace 5
  Nine seasons to reach 328 games — and his last Magic contract literally wrote 'worth the wait' as a 52-game vesting clause he never reached.
  Source ↗
3 AIs put it here
Source ↗

02More about the top three

The ranking is above. Here is more about the three places at the top: what they are, why they are here, and what is worth knowing.

The missed-games shares use different bases and seasons, and the per-game cost is calculated differently for Zion.

1Joel Embiid

No. 1 — Joel Embiid. On the lists of 8 of 11 AIs; median place there: 1. The AIs put Embiid first for missing about half his games while earning about $655K per game played, despite his high peak.

Did you know

In 2024, Embiid became the first NBA player to record at least 70 points, 18 rebounds and five assists in one game. — (voice only)
Source ↗

What it is: A gifted center with about as many missed games as games played.
Its edge: His about $655K per game played is higher than Porzingis's and lower than Zion's stated alternative.
Who should know: Useful to readers comparing missed games and pay with signs of peak performance.

Missed games and cost per game played$655K per game played

Wikipedia · Wikidata

History

In 2016, after two surgeries on his right foot and missing his first two NBA seasons, Embiid finally made his regular-season debut. He scored 20 points, and the crowd cheered even his missed shots. — (voice only)
Source ↗

Where to go further

Open Joel Embiid’s NBA profile and start with his stats and recent videos to see how his scoring and availability show up on court. — (voice only)
Source ↗

Video: From NOTHING to NBA STAR? The Story of Joel Embiid · Handles

Compare the top three ↓

2Zion Williamson

No. 2 — Zion Williamson. On the lists of 8 of 11 AIs; median place there: 2. The AIs placed Williamson high for missing about half his games and carrying a high cost per game played.

Did you know

In his NBA debut, Williamson scored 17 straight points in the fourth quarter and became the only player in history to make all four of his three-point shots in his debut. — (voice only)
Source ↗

What it is: A powerful forward who has played 276 games in seven seasons.
Its edge: His stated $558K per game played is above Porzingis's, while the leaderboard figure is higher still.
Who should know: Useful to readers comparing missed games, cost, and availability caveats.

Missed games and cost per game played$558K per game played

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

In six pro seasons, Williamson played only 214 of 472 possible regular-season games, AP reported. — (voice only)
Source ↗

History

In 2019, before his first NBA season, Zion Williamson had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. The No. 1 draft pick was expected to miss six to eight weeks, delaying his much-hyped start with New Orleans.
Source ↗

Keep in mind

His peak production needs the availability caveat: he missed the entire 2021–22 regular season with a right foot injury.
Source ↗

Where to go further

Open Zion’s NBA profile and watch how his game has changed across seasons; start with the video highlights, then check his season stats for the games he played. — (voice only)
Source ↗

Qwen put it first. What they saw in it

Qwen: Has missed 56% of his possible career games while commanding a max salary, costing over $550k per actual game played.

Video: Zion Williamson Is The NBA's Saddest Story · Andy Hoops

Compare the top three ↓

3Kristaps Porzingis

No. 3 — Kristaps Porzingis. On the lists of 8 of 11 AIs; median place there: 3.5. The AIs placed Porzingis third for missing about 41% of games, including a full ACL season, and having a current indefinite absence.

Did you know

Porziņģis won the NBA All-Star Skills Challenge in 2017, beating a field that included guards and big men. — (voice only)
Source ↗

What it is: A big man who has played 533 games in 11 seasons.
Its edge: His $441K–$445K per game played is below Embiid's and Williamson's stated figures.
Who should know: Useful to readers comparing missed games and the effects of long absences.

Missed games and cost per game played$441K-$445K per game

Wikipedia · Wikidata

Why it is here

Basketball-Reference lists 533 career regular-season games for Porziņģis and records that he did not play in 2018-19 because of an ACL injury. — (voice only)
Source ↗ ✓ confirmed by several AIs
He missed all of 2018-19 after tearing the ACL in his left knee, AP reported. That full-season absence adds to his missed-games share. — (voice only)
Source ↗ ✓ confirmed by several AIs

History

In 2019, after a meeting left Knicks officials thinking he wanted out, Porzingis was traded to Dallas. The move sent him to play alongside rookie Luka Dončić. — (voice only)
Source ↗

Keep in mind

As of October 2026, the Warriors said he remained out indefinitely with a health issue and gave no return date. That makes availability the central uncertainty.
Source ↗

What people say

“I’m just going to take a step back, look at the whole picture and then see what’s the best direction for me.” — Kristaps Porziņģis
Source ↗

Where to go further

Open Kristaps Porziņģis’s NBA profile and watch his 2025-26 highlights first; look at how his size shapes his shooting and defense. — (voice only)
Source ↗

Video: The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of Kristaps Porziņģis · NuHoops

Compare the top three ↓

The top three side by side

	Joel Embiid	Zion Williamson	Kristaps Porzingis
In the AIs' lists	8 / 11	8 / 11	8 / 11
Missed games and cost per game played	$655K per game played	$558K per game played	$441K-$445K per game
Put first by	Claude, Meta, Gemini, MiMo, StepFun, DeepSeek	Qwen	—

Places with the same number of AIs are ordered by their average place in the AIs' own lists.

03Worth knowing

What the AIs noticed while building the list.

Embiid's missed share depends on where you start counting: about 39% from his 2016 debut, about 50% if the two seasons lost after the 2014 draft count.

Noticed by:

Included it: Claude, ChatGPT, MiMo, DeepSeek, Kimi. Did not include: Meta, Gemini, Nova, StepFun, Wenxin, Qwen.

01Final list

Joel Embiid

Zion Williamson

Kristaps Porzingis

Anthony Davis

DeMarcus Cousins

Robert Williams III

Blake Griffin

Mitchell Robinson

Jaren Jackson Jr.

Jonathan Isaac

02More about the top three

1Joel Embiid

Did you know

2Zion Williamson

Did you know

3Kristaps Porzingis

Did you know

The top three side by side

More ratings

03Worth knowing

04Questions people ask

05How we counted

1The question

2Why this topic

3Where it applies

4What we looked at

5Who ranked

6How the places were set

06Each AI's own list

What Claude noticed

What Meta noticed

What Gemini noticed

What MiMo noticed

What StepFun noticed

What DeepSeek noticed

What Kimi noticed

What Qwen noticed