PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers altered their roster, adding Jaylen Brown and LeBron James to a core of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. These additions aim to make the franchise a deep playoff contender in the 2026-27 season.
Last season, the Sixers finished 45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference, before losing in the conference semifinals. The team underwent an overhaul this offseason, trading for Brown and signing James as a free agent.
Other key additions include Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Ariel Hukporti, Labaron Philon Jr. Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade. These new players complement returning players such as Maxey, who is coming off an All-NBA season, and Edgecombe, who showed improvement after a strong rookie year.
Head coach Nick Nurse faces the challenge of integrating this talent. Joel Embiid, the team's centerpiece, has played just 96 regular-season games over the last three years, making his health a primary concern for the team's championship aspirations.
Mike Gansey, the new Sixers President of Basketball Operations, joined James, Brown, Embiid, Maxey and Edgecombe at Media Day on Monday to discuss the team's outlook. Embiid said he feels the team finally possesses the right mix of players.
Integrating high-usage players will require adjustments. Last season, Embiid and Brown led all playoff players with at least 100 minutes in usage rate, both at 32.5 percent. Maxey also averaged 11.2 minutes of possession, the second-highest mark in the playoffs.
Sacrifices are anticipated when Brown, Embiid and Maxey share the court. Brown is expected to reduce his isolation plays, which averaged a career-high 18.7 per 100 possessions last season, ranking third in the league. Maxey will need to play more off-ball, and Embiid will focus on interior scoring rather than his recent mid-range reliance.
Anfernee Simons joins the Sixers as an off-ball weapon. The 27-year-old guard, now on his fourth team in less than two years, has played 15 total playoff games in his eight-year career. He played 585 minutes with Brown last season, providing some familiarity.
Simons has demonstrated efficiency as a catch-and-shoot threat, hitting 42.7 percent of his three-pointers over the last six years. This ranks sixth among 118 players who have attempted at least 1,000 such shots during that period.
The team aims to generate higher-quality shots for a more efficient offense. Last season, Embiid, Maxey and Brown recorded the 12th, 15th and 26th lowest shot-quality scores, respectively, among 182 players with at least 500 field goal attempts.
With the additions and anticipated strategic shifts, the Sixers plan to push for a championship, moving beyond just reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. The 2026-27 season officially begins for Philadelphia on Oct. 20 against the New York Knicks.
