LAS VEGAS — When Mike Gansey wakes up each morning, he needs to remind himself what city he is in. Because his first month as the 76ers’ president of basketball operations has been a whirlwind.
He has spent the past week getting an up-close look at first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr., whose crafty handle and scoring gumption already have stood out during NBA Summer League play. Before that, Gansey was in the Bahamas to watch electric second-year guard VJ Edgecombe play for his national team during FIBA World Cup qualifiers. Gansey’s Vegas stay came in the aftermath of the blockbuster trade for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown, which jolted the NBA and reignited the Sixers’ fan base.
And, “like the rest of the NBA,” Gansey is awaiting LeBron James’ free agency decision.
“We’d love to have him in Philly,” Gansey told The Inquirer on Tuesday morning from the Sixers’ team hotel. “I think he’d really, really help us and add to our group. But he’s making a big decision here. It’s wild [that] at his age [41], he’s playing at such a high level. But it’s not surprising.
“I have all the respect in the world for him, and he’s smart as heck. He’s going to figure it out and talk to his family, and we’ll be waiting. Whatever he decides, I know he’s going to make the right decision.”
Mike Gansey (center), here with Sixers managing partner Josh Harris and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment president Bob Myers, has hit the ground running in Philly.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
No matter where James lands, Gansey acknowledged he “never would have envisioned” the way his first Sixers offseason has unfolded.
He arrived from the Cleveland Cavaliers with an understanding that Joel Embiid and Paul George, two former perennial All-Stars who have struggled to stay on the court in recent seasons, had multiple years remaining on max contracts. Gansey was not “actively trying” to trade either player, he said.
After drafting Philon, the Alabama guard who unexpectedly fell to the Sixers at No. 22, Dean Wade was Gansey’s top free agency target as a complementary, defense-minded starting forward. The Sixers also hoped to add depth, shooting, and more quickness and athleticism.
But after two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was traded to the Miami Heat instead of the Boston Celtics — and Boston’s offered return package anchored by Brown became public knowledge — Gansey leaned on a tactic he learned from Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman and owner Dan Gilbert.
Make the call.
“It’s kind of like, ‘Let’s check in with Boston and see if there’s anything there,’” Gansey said. “Maybe there isn’t. But you just make that call, and they don’t say no. … It just kept going on, and they would call us, we would call them.
“You just keep having conversations. Next thing you know, we’re in LA [for free agency], and it was getting close and [feeling like] this might actually happen. …
“That’s why, this business, you can plan all you want and prepare, but you just don’t know. Things happen.”
Gansey said Brown felt some initial “shock” that after 10 years in Boston, he had been traded to the rival Sixers. But Gansey believes Brown, who last season finished sixth in MVP voting after averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, will set the tone for the Sixers, who now have legitimate championship aspirations.
“We’re just super lucky to get him, and I know he’s motivated,” Gansey said of Brown. “He’s going to be great for everyone because the young guys want that. He’s been a champion and Finals MVP. I think Joel’s in a great space, and he’s excited [to play with Brown], as well.
“Obviously, we’ve got to see what it looks like. You can’t win a trade in July. Boston got some really good [draft] picks, and you saw Paul. He was a big reason why Philly beat Boston [in the playoffs’ first round]. You’ve got to give up a lot to get [Brown], and I think it’s a good trade for both teams.
“Until we actually have a practice or a game, you just don’t know. You hope it’s going to work out, but it’ll take some time, I’m sure.”
While Gansey acclimated to his new job on the fly, he credited the returning staff — including front-office executives Jameer Nelson and Prosper Karangwa and coach Nick Nurse — for “kind of [holding] it together.” Gansey reiterated that he wants to set a workplace culture in which people enjoy coming to the facility and looks forward to having deeper conversations with staffers later this summer.
The selection of first-round draft pick Labaron Philon Jr. (center) was one of president of basketball operations Mike Gansey’s first big decisions. Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
“It’s hard to do everything you want to do in a month,” Gansey said. “It’s going to take a year or two years just to kind of put my imprint on stuff. But I just want to build a place where my door is open. Come talk to me. I feel like I’m an open, people person. You can talk to me about anything: personal, professional, basketball stuff. …
“I might be the boss … but I want to be like, ‘No, we’re working together. I don’t care about titles. I’m a part of this group, and I want us all to be successful.’”
Once he departs Las Vegas — where he has regularly bumped into former Cavaliers colleagues while staying in the same team hotel — Gansey will see his four children for the first time in about a month. His family still needs to find a house in the Philly area.
And maybe Gansey will finally get some real sleep. It would be warranted, after his first Sixers offseason unfolded in a way he never could have envisioned.
“I just need a break,” Gansey said. “I think we all do, just because it’s been so much. … I don’t think it’s really set in.”
LAS VEGAS — VJ Edgecombe was in the middle of a spa day in his native Bahamas when he missed a call from Jameer Nelson, the 76ers’ executive vice president of basketball operations.
Then Edgecombe missed another call. Then he saw Nelson’s text message asking to call him back as soon as possible.
“I was like, ‘Man, it’s free agency, why [are] you calling me so much?’” Edgecombe recalled Monday morning. “I thought I was gone.”
Nelson actually wanted to give Edgecombe a heads-up that the Sixers were about to trade for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown, a blockbuster deal that would surface publicly about an hour later. Though Edgecombe was initially “shocked” by the move, he said he is excited to play alongside Brown at the “peak of his career.”
And what about the Sixers’ still-ongoing pursuit of LeBron James, one of Edgecombe’s basketball idols with whom he swapped jerseys after their first matchup in his rookie season?
“I like it,” Edgecombe said with a grin while visiting the Sixers’ Summer League practice in Las Vegas. “It’s LeBron James. At the end of the day, despite how old he is, he’s still, to me, the greatest player of all time. If I get to play alongside LeBron, that would be amazing.
“Obviously, we know the goal — if we get LeBron or not — is a championship. So if we do get him, I’m happy. If we don’t, I’m still happy.”
Edgecombe called the trade for Brown “bittersweet” because of the quick rapport he built with the departing Paul George. Yet a reason the Sixers executed the all-in move is Edgecombe, who last season averaged 16 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals while logging heavy minutes as an instant-impact rookie on both ends of the floor.
Sixers vice president Jameer Nelson talks with guard Vj Edgecombe before Game 2 of the second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Edgecombe said he has spent his offseason working on his shooting — he went 43.8% from the floor and 35.4% on 5.6 three-point attempts per game as a rookie — and ballhandling as a lead guard in an effort to take pressure off All-NBA third-teamer Tyrese Maxey. Coach Nick Nurse added during a Saturday conversation with local reporters that he wants to see Edgecombe extend that beyond-the-arc range, and to use his dazzling athleticism to go coast-to-coast more often when he gets the ball in transition.
“Instead of two of those a game, I’d like to see 10,” Nurse said from the team hotel in Las Vegas. “Or at least try. I just think there’s a little bit more pace he can add to his game offensively.”
Before this visit to Las Vegas, Edgecombe played for the Bahamian national team during FIBA World Cup qualifiers, an honor he calls “one of the best things in the world.” He now has graduated from Summer League participant to being a resource “to show love, show support” to this year’s players.
He praised the “prolific scoring” and “underrated” defensive effort of first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr., whom Edgecombe matched up against (and went 2-0, he said) as high school prospects.
“He’s a great fit,” Edgecombe said of Philon. “I love the pickup. Just [adds] depth to the team, [adds] depth to the guard room.”
Justin Edwards understands ‘really important year’ is coming
Justin Edwards also visited the Summer Sixers Monday, after playing with that squad entering his first and second NBA seasons.
The 6-foot-7 wing recognizes he now heads into “a really important year” personally, because it is the last with guaranteed money in his contract ($2.4 million). The Philly native has a $2.6 million team option in his deal for 2027-28.
“I don’t really want to think of it like that,” he said, “because I’m pretty sure I’m going to have pressure on myself regardless. So I just got to be able to just go into the season and do what I can do to help this team.”
Edwards is part of the Sixers’ forward group that this offseason lost George and Kelly Oubre Jr., but added Brown and versatile defender Dean Wade. The 22-year-old Edwards was an early-career success story after going undrafted in 2024. While getting heavy minutes as a rookie during the Sixers’ disastrous 2024-25 season, he turned his initial two-way contract into a standard deal.
Though Nurse regularly reiterated some version of “I love Justin” last season, he was not an entrenched rotation player. He averaged 6 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 64 games, with a knack for shot-making early in his stints off the bench. He also is a sound decision-maker and a willing perimeter defender.
LAS VEGAS — One thought popped into Johni Broome’s head upon receiving a slick bounce pass in the lane from Labaron Philon Jr.
“I see two people that [weren’t] on my team,” the 76ers’ big man recalled. “And I just think, ‘Bodies! Bodies! Bodies!’”
No matter. Broome elevated to dunk the ball over both defenders, embodying his Summer League so far. He has compiled a double-double in both of the Sixers’ games in Las Vegas, the types of forceful performances his team wants to see from a second-year player. More impressive is that those efforts have come in his first legitimate game-like action since late-February knee surgery, which essentially ended a rookie season that never got off the ground.
“My first season wasn’t the best,” Broome said Thursday. “I can see that myself. That’s why I put in a lot of work to have a better second year. Obviously, I want to make a better impression and I’ve got more to do. I just want to keep proving myself each and every day, for Philly.”
Broome was the Sixers’ second-round pick last summer after blossoming into an All-American at Auburn. The 23-year-old played in only 11 NBA regular-season games as a rookie, but did excel in stints with the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats. Less than a month after a 50-point, 17-rebound outburst with Delaware in January, Broome tore his meniscus in what he described as his first significant injury.
He called his early surgery recovery “very smooth” and “perfect,” before an unexpected setback when swelling increased as he attempted to increase his workload. By the end of the Sixers’ season, though, Broome had progressed to full-contact pregame workouts and off-day scrimmaging. He played garbage time in two playoff games against the New York Knicks. Broome then spent June working out with young teammates at the Sixers’ facility, often returning at night for a second session.
Johni Broome tore his meniscus during his rookie season.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Leading into Summer League, coach T.J. DiLeo set goals for Broome: shoot three-pointers (he is a shaky 2-of-12 through two games in Las Vegas); defend with physicality and proper positioning; take care of the ball; and “control the game” as a sound decision-maker. Those winning traits could help Broome make up for his limited athleticism, which the most skeptical could say make him a “tweener” who is too good for the G League but not quite NBA-caliber.
“We should be able to play through him a little bit,” DiLeo said of Broome.
Broome acknowledged feeling “a little fatigued” after his first game Thursday, yet still totaled 19 points and 13 rebounds in a 101-93 Sixers victory over the Detroit Pistons.
He followed ballhandlers downhill to get in range to grab eight offensive rebounds and go back up for putbacks. He established immediate chemistry with 2026 first-round pick Philon, which has flowed from the court to their NBA 2K video game battles. After Thursday’s win, Broome and Philon stood at the back of the media scrum to playfully ask each other a question.
Broome carried his production over to Saturday, when he amassed 23 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists in a 100-93 overtime win over the Indiana Pacers.
When Broome followed his own miss just before halftime, several members of the Sixers’ bench flexed and hollered in celebration. After the break, Broome hit a baseline jumper and a three-pointer to ignite his team’s dominant third quarter.
Later, the Sixers went to Broome out of a timeout for an inside finish, an attempt to squash the Pacers’ rally. In overtime, Broome collected the go-ahead putback to help seal the Sixers’ victory.
It was another step in Broome’s quest to prove he is healthy — and still has NBA potential.
“He’s hopefully past what his injury was,” DiLeo said, “and better than what he was before.”
LAS VEGAS — Nick Nurse’s view entering the 76ers’ offseason was similar to the outside consensus — that his team did not have much financial “wiggle room” with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George all on max contracts.
Then the Sixers pulled off the stunning blockbuster trade for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown. They surrounded that big swing with complementary moves, adding Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, and Ariel Hukporti in free agency and drafting Labaron Philon Jr. The Sixers are now among the threats in a deep Eastern Conference.
“Sitting here right now,” Nurse told a small group of reporters from a Las Vegas hotel Saturday, “I think, obviously, we’ve had a really good summer so far. … It was some good teamwork, some good maneuvers.
“I’d like to think we got better at several positions: younger, faster, depth, shooting, rebounding. There [were] a lot of areas to address, and I think we addressed some of them.”
One giant potential free-agency domino could still fall, of course, if all-timer LeBron James chooses to sign with the Sixers. Nurse did not comment on that possibility, since he does not hold the front office’s role in recruitment and negotiation. Bob Myers, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment’s president, already made his pitch as a guest on Game Over podcast hosted by James’ agent, Rich Paul.
Nurse, though, lauded the early collaboration with new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, saying he could “feel a good organizational blueprint” entering the offseason. The coach has long been impressed by Brown’s versatility on both ends of the floor, his year-by-year improvement, and his winning resume as an NBA champion and Finals MVP.
“He’s sitting in his prime,” Nurse said of Brown. “It’s amazing that he’s going to be a Sixer.”
Now Brown joins the dynamic backcourt of Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, along with the 2023 MVP (though oft-injured) Embiid. The goal is for this configuration of top-end talent to be healthy enough to gain consistency — Embiid, Maxey, and George played only 36 games together in two seasons — while building enough depth “to have some more gas in the tank to make a longer [postseason] run.”
Jaylen Brown (right) will join the Sixers’ dynamic backcourt, including leading scorer Tyrese Maxey.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
After a thrilling comeback to upset the Boston Celtics in the first round, the Sixers were swept by the eventual champion New York Knicks. Nurse acknowledged he “pushed all the chips in [for] Game 2 in New York,” and that it was difficult to rebound after they lost that down-to-the-wire matchup.
“It’s a hell of a lot longer tournament than one round,” said Nurse, who won the 2019 NBA title with the Toronto Raptors. “ … We were tired as hell Game 1 [in New York]. We were spinning from that. They were on a heater of beyond proportions, and it was like, ‘We’ve got to knock them off this heater,’ and Game 2 was our chance to do it.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t make enough shots in the fourth quarter, because they were wide open. … The gas tank was pretty low. We just need some more depth. We need a little bit more experience. We need to not be totally drained out of that after one round.”
Here are three more takeaways from the wide-ranging offseason conversation with Nurse.
Other newcomers
Nurse reiterated that he would not hesitate to immediately insert Philon into the rotation, a belief rewarded by the crafty guard’s terrific start to Summer League play. He totaled 24 points and six assists in the Sixers’ overtime win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday afternoon at Cox Pavilion, after compiling 18 points and seven assists in Thursday’s opening win over the Detroit Pistons.
“I just feel like he’s talented enough,” Nurse said. “I think we liked him enough as a staff. … I think he’s going this direction [up] quickly. I think he’s got some confidence to him that I don’t think he’ll be afraid. I think he’ll make the most of the opportunity.”
Nick Nurse said that he believes first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. will “make the most of the opportunity.” Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Nurse offered similar (and warranted) trust in Edgecombe to become a Day 1 starter last season, and in then-rookie Jared McCain to instantly contribute before his 2024 knee surgery.
Wade, meanwhile, is what Nurse called an “opportunity scorer” and, more importantly, a rebounder and versatile defender at 6-foot-9 and 225 pounds. Hukporti’s addition means a competition with Adem Bona for the backup center job — which becomes a starting role when Embiid is sidelined — is “all in play, as of now,” Nurse said. The coach also believes Simons, in addition to his high-volume shooting, can handle the ball and play in the pick and roll.
“We may be a touch small at times [or] whatever,” Nurse said of the guard group. “But I’ll certainly take the speed and athleticism. Then it’s just up to our staff to put them in the right spot.”
Though Brown has become the Sixers’ flashy offseason addition, much of their present and future will be fueled by Maxey, an All-NBA third-team selection last season, and Edgecombe, who finished third on a terrific NBA Rookie of the Year ballot.
When asked where Edgecombe can most develop in his second NBA season, Nurse highlighted extending his three-point range — he connected on 35.4% of his 5.6 attempts, but had a knack for crunch-time makes — to provide more spacing for teammates. Nurse also wants to see Edgecombe progress toward becoming a lockdown perimeter defender, and to go coast-to-coast more frequently when he gets the ball in transition.
“Instead of two of those a game,” Nurse said, “I’d like to see 10. Or at least try. I just think there’s a little bit more pace he can add to his game offensively.”
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe grew into a dynamic backcourt for the Sixers last season.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
For Maxey, Nurse again emphasized the midrange game between his explosive drives to the basket and deep three-pointers.
“He’s got that in his game,” Nurse said of Maxey, who ranked fifth in the league in scoring last season (28.3 points per game). “He’s just so good at the other stuff [that] he doesn’t hardly ever get put in those positions. But I think it’s an area of growth for him.”
Optimism for Embiid?
At Embiid’s end-of-season news conference, he expressed optimism that the Sixers’ medical and training staff had “figured out” how to manage his knee following multiple surgeries. He expects that will make him more available after logging 96 total games the past three seasons. Last month, Myers reiterated that Embiid had no procedures scheduled, allowing him to spend more time on basketball work.
When Nurse was asked Saturday if he shared Embiid’s optimism that the big man will be able to play more in 2026-27, Nurse said, “I do” but did not elaborate much further.
“I think that he’s feeling pretty good,” Nurse said. “I think he’s working pretty hard right now. So I do think I share his optimism.”
LAS VEGAS — When the 76ers face the Indiana Pacers in Saturday’s Summer League matchup, they will see a familiar face in Alex Reese.
With his unconventional — and meaningful — jersey number.
Reese, a power forward who played in 14 games for the Sixers on a two-way contract during the 2024-25 season, is again wearing No. 65 with the Pacers’ Summer League team. Those digits are more often associated with football offensive linemen than NBA players. But last July, Reese shared with The Inquirer and Philly Voice that he chose the number because it aligns with the birth year of his mother, Rebakah, and continues to honor her after she died in 2024 from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
“It just helps me think of her when I’m playing,” Reese said then from the Sixers’ practice facility, days before the team waived him before this story could run during Las Vegas Summer League. “It makes it easy for me to look down and see why I’m doing what I’m doing.”
Reese did not always have a specific jersey number that he coveted. But while scanning the limited options upon joining the Rip City Remix, the G League affiliate of the Portland Trail Blazers, 65 instantly caught his eye. He felt the connection between it and his mother while she fought the debilitating cognitive disease. Rebakah died with two games remaining in that first season he wore it.
“Now I have a reason to keep it,” he said.
Alex Reese (right) was briefly with the Sixers’ Summer League team before being waived before game’s started last year.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Reese described his mom as “super sweet” and said she “loved everybody.” She drove him to baseball practices and games across the Southeast from their home near Birmingham, Ala., then to the gym or playground courts for workouts once basketball became his sport of choice.
Reese became a star at Pelham High School in Pelham, Ala. and signed with the University of Alabama in 2017. Rebakah was diagnosed just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, while Alex was rehabbing after hip surgery during a “really tough” summer. She still made the short trip to Tuscaloosa for college games — and, more importantly, his 2021 graduation.
After he went undrafted, Reese took a year off from basketball to return home to spend time with Mom and his support system, including brothers Nate and Zach, Brian, his father, and extended family and friends. He worked jobs such as laying sod, moving furniture, and bartending.
“I needed it,” Reese said. “I didn’t know if I was going to make the push to try to play professionally. Once I took the year off, got my mindset a little bit better, and got back into it after I worked a couple jobs that I don’t want to work anymore.”
He went overseas to play in Luxembourg, then found opportunity in the G League. He wore No. 15 in his NBA debut with the Oklahoma City Thunder, scoring two points in less than two minutes in October 2024. After returning to the Remix, he signed a two-way contract with the Sixers in February 2025 and remained with the team for the rest of the season.
Alex Reese (right) averaged 5.3 points in 14 games with the Sixers in 2024-25.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
By the time Reese chose No. 65, Rebakah was past the point that she could understand what the gesture meant. He has seen the perplexed comments from fans over the years about his choice, assuring that they “[don’t] bother me at all.” He has shared his reason for the number with a handful of Portland teammates, and with Sixers teammates such as Justin Edwards.
He honored her in 14 NBA games with the Sixers. And 65 remains his number of choice, including in Saturday’s Summer League matchup.
Because it is not unconventional to him. It means everything.
“I obviously wish she was here to see it,” Reese said, “and see where I’ve made it now.”
LAS VEGAS — Last summer, Dominick Barlow joined the 76ers on a two-way contract in the middle of the NBA Summer League, and jumped right into game action.
Barlow was back in a nondescript, off-the-Strip gym Friday afternoon to work out while the 2026 summer Sixers practiced. A “fun year” unfolded between these two trips to the desert, when Barlow became a part-time starter, earned a standard contract, and had his $3.4 million team option for the 2026-27 season picked up before free agency began.
Now, Barlow is an example — and available resource — for the players hoping to impress the Sixers (and other teams) in Las Vegas.
“Just to show the organization [that] we don’t just care about ourselves,” Barlow said of why he came to Las Vegas this year. “We care about everyone, whether it’s Summer League, G League, and our team. We care about every step it’s going to take.
“You never know, one of these guys can be playing and helping us win, so you want to establish a relationship.”
Once Barlow joined the summer Sixers last year, coach T.J. DiLeo immediately praised the forward for crashing the glass “all the time,” running the floor, switching defensively, and providing instant leadership as a player with NBA experience. Barlow then enjoyed the best season of his four-year career, averaging 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists and thriving as a cutter and high-energy player in 71 games with 59 starts.
Dominick Barlow (right) could take on a larger role with Kelly Oubre Jr. heading to Indiana this offseason.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
The 23-year-old’s role could change in 2026-27. Though forwards Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. have departed the Sixers, Jaylen Brown and Dean Wade have arrived as projected starters. LeBron James’ decision still looms, with the Sixers reportedly in the mix. Barlow said Friday that he had not yet spoken to Brown, but is “super excited” to add the All-NBA second-teamer to the established group headlined by electric guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe and former MVP Joel Embiid. The blockbuster trade could vault the Sixers into contender status.
“Things happen fast,” Barlow said. “I don’t know if that’s something that we expected to happen, but here we are. It’s exciting. Obviously he’s an elite player. MVP candidate this year. His team [the Boston Celtics] was really good without [injured Jayson] Tatum, so I thought [Brown] did an excellent job leading that group.”
Balow said he has worked extensively this offseason on his shooting, a clear weakness in an otherwise well-rounded game. He has added weight and strength to his 6-foot-9 frame. He said he now has full range of motion back in the elbow he injured last season.
Barlow has brought that offseason routine to Las Vegas, and sat courtside for the Sixers’ win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday afternoon at Cox Pavillon. Barlow was impressed with rookie Labaron Philon Jr., noting the crafty guard plays with a “swag about him that you really can’t teach.” Barlow also has chatted with new two-way signee Caleb Love, offering a message of, “Do what you’re supposed to do, and you’ll get a chance to play.”
Barlow’s advice holds weight. He is an example of how to turn a Sixers Summer League opportunity into a career season, and is now back in Las Vegas as a resource to the 2026 squad.
“Be around,” Barlow said. “Just establish a culture.”
LAS VEGAS — When Labaron Philon Jr. got the ball at the top of the key with less than a minute to play, 76ers summer league coach T.J. DiLeo told everybody else to get out of the way.
So Philon went to work on his defender with multiple between-the-legs moves as the shot clock ticked inside five seconds. He pulled up and buried the game-clinching shot.
It was a dynamite capper to a terrific summer league debut for the Sixers’ first-round draft pick. Philon compiled 18 points and seven assists in a 101-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday afternoon at Cox Pavillon, making good on his quest to be a “smart guard” by mixing in sound playmaking with a hot shooting start and clutch finish.
“Showing I can compete,” Philon said. “Having the same ‘dawg’ mentality that I had at Alabama, and being the same person. Being me, really.”
Philon, whom the Sixers took 22nd overall last month, opened the game with a three-pointer, then dished to big man Johni Broome for his own deep shot on the next possession. When another Philon long ball forced a Pistons timeout less than two minutes later, he flexed and hollered before returning to the bench.
After that, Philon again flashed his crafty ballhandling while getting to the rim for a left-handed layup. He delivered a slick bounce pass to Broome for a dunk between two defenders. And before hitting that dagger three-pointer, Philon drove to the basket late in the shot clock for the and-1 conversion to break an 85-85 tie with less than four minutes remaining.
“That’s who he is,” DiLeo said. “He’s a gamer.”
T.J. DiLeo (left) is coaching the Sixers’ summer league team for the second straight year.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
DiLeo, who is coaching the summer Sixers for the second consecutive year, emphasized that combination of scoring and distributing — along with playing hard defensively — with Philon ahead of Thursday’s opener in Las Vegas. The coach put the ball in Philon’s hands during practices, and came away impressed with the rookie’s pace, natural instincts, and willingness to pass.
“It’s a big responsibility,” DiLeo said. “ … You’ve got to find a good balance of it, because the team will take [on] your identity. He was getting guys shots. Now everybody’s moving the ball a little bit and they kind of follow him.
“I was proud of him for tonight. Obviously, he’s going to grow and get better, but it was a good first step.”
That “smart guard” mentality also comes with some foresight. Philon knows he is joining a Sixers roster that already boasts All-NBA third-teamer Tyrese Maxey and electric youngster VJ Edgecombe, and recently added sharpshooter Anfernee Simons in free agency. Philon recognizes the value in taking pressure off those teammates.
“Once you’re able to get [that playmaking] going,” Philon said, “guys [start] to step up.”
Minutes after Thursday’s performance, DiLeo had already identified improvement areas he would show Philon on film. The Pistons began switching more defensively in the second half, and the coach noticed a couple times when Philon got past his defender but pulled back his dribble instead of remaining aggressive.
Philon, meanwhile, lamented the “easy looks” he missed during his cold streak in the second and third quarters of a 6-of-19 shooting outing. But he appreciated that trust in him did not waver down the stretch.
Because when the summer Sixers gathered for the first time, DiLeo showed clips of each player’s strengths. He called Philon a “big shot taker, big shot maker,” as a similar one-on-one sequence flashed across the screen.
“You’ve got to let him go one-on-one a little bit,” DiLeo said. He’s going to make some of these.”
So DiLeo put the ball in Philon’s hands at the top of the key in the final minute, and insisted that no other players get involved in the play. An additional motivational boost came from Philon spotting Mike Gansey — the Sixers’ new president of basketball operations who was thrilled Philon was still available for them to select on draft night — along with executive Jameer Nelson and future teammates Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow sitting courtside.
“I think they knew what I was going to do,” Philon said. “So I was solid. After I hit the shot, I looked at Mike. He was like, ‘OK’ [with a head nod].”
The 76ers are in an enviable position less than two weeks after the open of NBA free agency. They entered the summer hampered by the contracts of Joel Embiid and Paul George and few options other than to run it back with a team that finished seventh in the East and lost to the eventual champion New York Knicks.
The Inquirer’s Gina Mizell and David Murphy talked about the recent moves that changed the Sixers’ fortunes, including the trade of Jaylen Brown, courtship of LeBron James and more.
This was edited for clarity and conciseness.
Gina Mizell: Let’s just start with this… How would you describe this offseason overall for the Sixers? It’s still lots that potentially could happen, which we’ll get to in a little bit, but just overall, what’s your impression of what president of basketball operations Mike Gansey and the Sixers have done so far this offseason?
David Murphy: I’m kind of at a loss for words. I mean, you could describe the Jaylen Brown trade with just, ‘Wow,’ you could go with ‘unforeseen.’ I don’t think anybody really saw this coming. Over the course of the offseason, I’ve been listening to just about every hoops podcast, national podcast, you could possibly think of, and absolutely nobody had this in the cards for the Sixers. And I think that the biggest surprise to me was that that Paul George’s contract was something that the Celtics actually viewed as something that was stomachable or palatable. I watched Brad Stevens’ press conference the other day, and I was surprised that it sounds like they wanted Paul George. This wasn’t necessarily a salary dump, so I think that was kind of the keystone that allowed all this to happen.
But from the Sixers perspective, I think it was a no-brainer. You don’t lose much in terms of financial flexibility. Jaylen Brown was signed for one more year than Paul George, and the Sixers have gone from kind of rebuilding and two timelines to another three-year window here, where they’re going for it. You can’t help but be excited whether you’re a fan or someone like us who covers the team.
I was at the park with my 15-month-old son, Max, and it was, I think, 5:30 p.m. We were killing time before dinner, and I just got a text from a buddy of mine, because we have been group chatting about NBA stuff for four weeks. We had each kind of wagered our bets on where Jaylen Brown would end up, and the text message I got just said, “Wow, didn’t see that coming.”
Where were you when it happened, and what was your initial reaction when that came across your phone or your computer or wherever you saw the news,
GM: I was at home, and what I always share with our fellow NBA reporter friends is that my mom’s birthday is July 1, so it’s actually a miracle that she has not disowned me, given that July 1 is always a busy day in the NBA calendar because it’s the opening day of free agency. But I had called her finally, maybe like about 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon, Eastern time, because the Sixers had a lot of things that happened. Kelly Oubre had moved on, Quentin Grimes had moved on, they had signed Ariel Hukporti, and it kind of reached this point in time where I’m like, ‘OK, I think I can get this like 15-minute phone call in and catch up and do all that stuff.
Jaylen Brown has shared that he’s excited to join the Sixers and get started in Philly.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
At that point I wasn’t really expecting anything else to happen that day, and then the news pops about an hour later. And when it came across my phone, I literally said many expletives out loud, loud enough that my apartment neighbors maybe could have heard, because I just could not believe it. And so, no, it was just crazy when it all went down.
But now that we’ve had a chance to sort of marinate on this deal — it’s a few days old — has anything changed about sort of what you wrote in that initial column, as far as the fit financially, as far as building that championship window, like you mentioned, just kind of now that you’ve sort of sat with it? Any new thoughts, any additional thoughts, any deeper thoughts about how this is all going to work out now, adding Jaylen Brown to this group?
DM: Not really from the Sixers perspective. I’ve actually spent most of my time, but I’m in the process right now of writing for tomorrow, the end result of that. Just kind of trying to answer the question, ‘What were the Celtics thinking?’ That was my first reaction along with just about everybody else in the world. My reaction first and foremost was, ‘Wow, like that’s all? That’s all they got for Jaylen Brown? And I think my thinking on that, more than anything, has changed a little bit. I’m still surprised that you know, look, people want to rip the Celtics, but this is, first and foremost, a story of 28 other teams that did not beat the Sixers offer. So you can absolutely blame the Celtics for trading Brown, if that was the best offer on the table, the fact is that was the best offer on the table, and that’s something to think about.
I think that, you know, one of the key points that, and I believe this before the trade, I think people are underestimating how valuable that Clippers pick is that the Sixers traded to the Celtics. And I think Stevens kind of hinted at that [Monday] in his press conference. Somebody asked him why Philly, and his response was essentially that this was the best move for the future of the franchise and the assets that we could get. I agree with him 100 percent. You know, I talked to somebody in the Sixers orbit during the season. I was shooting the bull and asking about the new lottery odds, and they said to me that Clippers pick is going to get a lot more valuable with these new odds, and I think you know that’s something that people really need to understand.
GM: The contracts of Paul George for Jaylen Brown are very similar but Brown does have one more year on his current deal, and he is extension eligible on July 26. So the Sixers roster is already very top heavy and is going to continue to be top heavy when you look at Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, obviously still on his big deal, and then potentially coming up if VJ Edgecombe is going to get a payday in a few years. But I think you’re exactly right about that Clippers pick, because you look at what they’ve been and who they are now in the last six months or so with trading James Harden, trading Ivica Zubac, obviously trading Kawhi Leonard right before free agency opened. And that is a team that you would expect that pick to be very valuable.
But just adding Brown to this mix coming off of the best individual season of his career, sixth in MVP voting, really carried that Celtics team that a lot of people thought would take a gap year with Jayson Tatum out with the Achilles injury, and now adding him to this group. Who is he going to enhance the most? Who does his game, when you look at Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid when healthy, VJ Edgecombe, some of these other complementary players, who do you think Jaylen Brown is most going to enhance? Where is he most going to make this team even better, in addition to what he does individually on the floor?
DM: A few years from now, Payton Pritchard, and that’s really the second apron. This is really a story of the second apron doing what it was intended to do, and it was intended to spread superstar talent, and it’s doing that, so I think that more than anything, from the Celtics perspective. I actually think they made a very tough decision but I admire them for that. I think when you really look at, when you really look at the nuts and bolts of it, this move will leave them better off for the long haul, and maybe even the short and medium term.
I think it’s kind of a package thing. He’s going to make the pairing of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe workable. Edgecombe and Maxey, in the future, and you know, building around them. Anytime I talked about Edgecomb and Maxey in the future, and building around them, you almost have to put Joel Embiid out of it. I’m not convinced at this point that he’s even 100% going to be here next year. It wouldn’t stun me. He’s been conspicuously silent on social media ever since this trade went down. I’m not predicting that. I think it’s more of a possibility now than it was before, you know, especially seeing what we just saw. I’m not ruling anything out, is what it comes down to.
HSBE president of sports Bob Myers hired Mike Gansey, Daryl Morey’s replacement. Can he also help bring LeBron to Philly?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer / AP
So, I think you almost have to put him to the side, regardless of whether he’s here or not, you know, Mike Gansey’s number one priority was to build, start building a team that can win with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe as their backcourt, and that was going to take, it was absolutely going to take two big wings, and ideally one of them being a guy who could could score, who could slash, who could play some bully ball, who could give them an element that, at least at this point, you know, Maxey probably will never have in terms of strength, and VJ, I think, could but just isn’t there yet.
GM: You wrote yesterday or the day before, just about the basketball fit for LeBron, and how and why the Sixers make a ton of sense. Not to make you regurgitate what you wrote on the Inquirer, but just what are sort of the reasons why, based on everything that you just said, that just adding a guy like LeBron, who obviously is not the perennial MVP contender that he once was, but is still really, really, really good, and would that be the type of piece that would put the Sixers over the top?
DM: Someone made an argument to me that I now buy… I think the Timberwolves are probably the best basketball fit for them, for him, you know, and I think that he would probably have better title hopes with them as well, just because of the presence of Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels on the defensive end. But I think the Sixers are right there with the Timberwolves in terms of pure basketball fit. I think, again, Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo are clunky as it is [with the Heat]. LeBron could maybe help alleviate some of that, but at the same time that’s an interesting threesome to have out there on the court, and it certainly has a chance to not be an enjoyable basketball playing experience for LeBron. And I think he’d say the same thing about, you know, Cleveland, assuming Harden comes back. No disrespect to James Harden, but I wouldn’t want to spend the last year of my career watching him dribble around a basketball court.
I personally think if I was LeBron I would opt for the Warriors and the Nuggets, just because I think playing alongside Nikola Jokić or Steph Curry would be a heck of a lot of fun, and just kind of a neat way to see what happens for the last year of my career. LeBron will fit anywhere, is what it comes down to. If you plug him in at the three or the four for the Sixers, whatever you want to consider, with Jaylen Brown, I think they’ve got as good a chance as anybody.
LeBron James’ free-agency decision (4.0) still lingered through Wednesday.
It looks like agent Rich Paul intends to continue turning this into content for his Game Over podcast. Bob Myers, the president of Harris Blizter Sports & Entertainment, was the guest on the episode released Wednesday to, among other things, make his pitch for the Sixers.
Though James’ answer could be far from imminent, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Sixers are now in the all-timer’s top three contenders. Philly joins the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, two former homes where James won NBA championships. And Paul has said James will make his choice based on “happiness,” which could pertain to basketball, to life, or some combination of the two.
What are the cases for the three remaining possibilities? Here is a breakdown.
Sixers
Pros
A perfect fit
Paul said while breaking down his now-famous white board of possible James landing spots that “everything changed” with the Sixers once they pulled off the blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown.
James would perfectly slide into the forward spot of a potent starting group, which also features former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid, All-NBA third-teamer Tyrese Maxey, and standout young guard VJ Edgecombe.
Though the cliché that James’ skill set and exceptional basketball IQ fits with any team is true, the Sixers do make a ton of basketball sense.
Rich Paul made a whiteboard laying out LeBron’s “realistic” destinations
Coming to Philly also would allow James to chase a championship with a fourth team, enhancing his argument as the greatest player in basketball history.
There also would be some oomph behind doing it with the Sixers, a storied franchise that has not advanced past the playoffs’ second round since 2001 and has not won a championship since 1983.
If James helps the Sixers finally over the hump, that is a legacy-building final act.
The Maxey connection
James also has a longtime friendship with Maxey, another prime Klutch client. Maxey has worked out with James since his predraft process in 2020. Maxey’s name had an asterisk next to it on Paul’s white board.
James also has ties to president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, who played against the NBA star in high school and worked in the Cavaliers organization for over a decade. His brother, Steven, even may have been the first to hint that the Sixers had a real shot to land James.
Shortly after the Brown trade, Steven tweeted a photo of James and Mike Gansey together as high-schoolers with the eyeballs emoji.
Cons
No history
Unlike Cleveland and Miami, James has no past connection to the Sixers. And like his Lakers tenure, it is worthwhile to consider how he would be embraced by a proud and passionate (and parochial) sports market.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Pros
A storybook ending
It would be the ultimate storybook ending for James to end his career with his hometown team — and where he began his NBA journey and ended the Cavaliers’ championship drought in 2016.
It would be worthy of a documentary or miniseries, just in case anybody happens to be considering that. And that might trump, well, anything else on this list.
Top-end talent
The Cavaliers boast a talented roster — led by All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell, defensive big man Evan Mobley, and (likely) fellow longtime star James Harden — that just advanced to the Eastern Conference finals.
LeBron James of the Lakers laces up his sneakers before warming up for their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 28, 2025.Charles Fox / Staff Photographer
Front-office ties
Brandon Weems, one of James’ closest friends and high-school teammate, is Cleveland’s assistant general manager. Interestingly, Weems could be promoted to general manager after Gansey left that position to join the Sixers.
Cons
Odd fit with Harden
On the surface, it feels like an odd fit with Harden, though the former MVP and scoring champ is more of a table-setter at this point in his career. Harden also remains a free agent.
Been there, done that
There is a “been there, done that” element to returning to the Cavaliers for the third time.
Is there a light risk in dimming his legacy — either in Cleveland or in the broader basketball universe — if this swan song backfires?
Miami Heat
Pros
Heat culture
James returns to the glamour market — and #HeatCulture —where he won his first two championships.
Leadership continuity
Though the roster obviously has changed, organizational continuity remains at the top.
Miami is still coached by Erik Spoelstra and run by Pat Riley, with whom James has repaired his relationship after he left Miami to return to Cleveland in 2014.
The Heat just traded for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Cons
Been there, done that (too)
Ditto on the “been there, done that” element. The Decision to go to Miami in 2010 was seismic. How would it feel 16 years later?
Clunky offense
Antetokounmpo pairing with versatile big man Bam Adebayo has the potential to be a clunky fit, at least initially. The Heat also traded much of their depth — including scoring guard Tyler Herro — in order to get Antetokounmpo.
Because of all of that, right now Miami still feels a tick below the other top Eastern Conference contenders.
On the latest episode of GameDay Central Sixers Extra, beat reporter Gina Mizell and Inquirer columnist David Murphy discuss the blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown, why LeBron James could choose Philly, and the rest of the Sixers’ offseason.
