As Mike Gansey left Saturday’s Sixers Blue x White Scrimmage, fans gathered alongside the fence greeted him with a big cheer.
The Sixers’ new general manager made a massive splash in his first summer in charge, swinging a trade for Jaylen Brown and following it up by signing LeBron James.
On Saturday, fans finally got their first look at this year’s squad, but for Gansey, it’s been a few days of watching the star-studded team he assembled face one another in camp.
“I’ve been in a lot of training camps, and at least like the first four or five days, the intensity, I mean, LeBron’s diving on the loose floor for balls,” Gansey said. “He’s 41 years old. It’s just stuff like that, like he’s really set the tone, and everyone’s been doing the same.”
Ariel Hukporti (left) defends against LeBron James during the Sixers Blue x White Scrimmage at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Even with all the new faces, the Sixers are still relying on their long-time veterans, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Gansey said back in Cleveland, he referred to Maxey as the “Cavs killer,” and since coming to Philadelphia, he’s seen Maxey develop both as a player and as a leader.
“[He] and Joel are like the elder statesmen here with the team,” Gansey said. “With Jaylen, LeBron and all the other new guys in here, I think he’s trying to take on a vocal leadership role with our group because, you know, the talent, the skill level, I mean, some of the stuff he does in practice, it’s like ‘Whoa,’ you know, like, ‘I’ve never seen that before.’”
Gansey also provided insight into the future of first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr., who, after the Sixers’ big summer, has a much tougher road to significant playing time. That doesn’t mean he’s not factored into the Sixers’ long-term plans.
Philon started on the White Team, defending against the Sixers’ ideal starting lineup with James, Embiid, Maxey, Edgecombe, and Brown. He stayed aggressive on defense and hit a few tough contested baskets.
“Being a point guard in this league, I think that’s the hardest position for a rookie to come in, and it’s going to take some time,” Gansey said. “But he’s a worker.”
The big story of the scrimmage, though, was seeing that starting five all on the floor together. The Sixers have a lot of skill and personality in the locker room. They’re counting on that high level of skill to win a lot of games, but as this team knows from past experiences, it takes more than talent to win games.
Ariel Hukporti (left) and Joel Embiid share a laugh during the Sixers Blue x White Scrimmage at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
But based on what Gansey has seen so far during training camp, he’s confident the Sixers will figure it out. They’re not starting from zero, given James and Embiid’s experience at the Olympics, and Maxey and James’ time as training partners.
“We have so many good veterans that they’re just kind of figuring it out,” Gansey said. “Like, there’s been a lot of scrimmages we’ve had where we don’t even have to run a play. They just kind of figure it out, and I think that’s what it’s really going to be moving forward. Practice is obviously important this week, and then obviously when the games start, we’ll try to figure it out.”
VJ Edgecombe could have had an easy dunk or layup in Saturday’s Blue x White scrimmage before Joel Embiid made up his mind to prevent it.
As Edgecombe was weaving his way down the middle of the lane, Embiid made up the few steps he was trailing Edgecombe and met him at the rim. Embiid blocked the shot, but not without a foul. Embiid fell to the ground when he landed, which can cause at least a little bit of nervousness, given his injury history. But he got back up and started twirling around his finger, asking for a review of the play, as did LeBron James.
“I thought it was all ball,” Embiid said.
That sequence was just one of a few indications of how healthy Embiid has looked since the start of camp, with teammates, coach Nick Nurse, and president Mike Gansey raving about his intensity and participation level.
“He hasn’t missed a practice. He’s been in damn near everything that we’ve done,” James said. “Pretty much, [the team has] had to sit him out at times, even when he wanted to keep going.”
Gansey said the team “got a plan together” for Embiid for this season, something Embiid also referenced during his comments Monday at media day. When asked if the team had a target number of games for Embiid to play this season, Gansey didn’t specify, but said the team would take things “day by day” with how Embiid is feeling.
Embiid played a good portion of the Sixers scrimmage on Saturday, and he looked refreshed and spry on both ends of the floor. He was knocking down threes as a trail man in transition and challenging shots at the rim while dusting off his two-man game with Tyrese Maxey. He even dunked at one point to cap a couple intense possessions battling Ariel Hukporti.
“That’s probably the last dunk of my career,” Embiid said in typically trolling fashion.
He also reignited some chemistry with James from their time playing for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics.
“We played a lot of minutes,” James said. “He started a lot of games for us that summer, but the difference between ‘24 and now, he’s just so much more healthier.”
On one possession, James hit Embiid in stride as he was approaching the three-point line, and Embiid walked into an open three. That was part of an early barrage of plays James was making that delighted the crowd inside Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“Obviously, the Olympics was great. But whether we have played together or not, I don’t think it was going to matter,” Embiid said. “Because at the end of the day, when you put — whether it’s two players, a bunch of players together that have a high basketball IQ — it’s going to be easy to fit with that, and that’s been the case.”
Related to the fit, Embiid touched on one of the buzzwords of this Sixers training camp: sacrifice. James spoke at length about how that word doesn’t have to be a negative. Nurse echoed that, and said he wanted the players to be the best versions of themselves, whatever that may look like within the context of this team. When asked a question about what he has seen from Maxey so far this camp, Embiid took his answer and spoke at length about his view of that word, and what it may mean for him and the rest of the Sixers lineup.
“It’s not about sacrifice. It’s just about being a star in your role and doing what you do best,” Embiid said. “I don’t think anybody should be put in a box. Just go out there, be yourself. Good shot, great shot, bad shot, we’ve all got each other’s backs. We move on. And then we go get a stop.”
The Sixers have one of the most star-studded rosters in the NBA. Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
To Embiid, this roster configuration is a chance for every player on the roster to be more efficient with the touches they get because the attention everyone else will command should keep the floor open regardless of who has the ball.
“You might get less touches, but you might get also more space. So what are you going to do with that space?” Embiid said. “Whether it’s for [Maxey], for me, for everybody, starting lineup, guys coming off the bench, different roles. Roles don’t even matter; it’s just about making the right play for each other over and over and over and try to find a way to be — I think for me — more efficient than I’ve ever been.”
The crowd noise inside Xfinity Mobile Arena swelled as public address announcer Matt Cord’s booming voice said, “At 6-9, from St. Vincent-St. Mary … ” before introducing LeBron James. It erupted again the first time the all-time great touched the ball, then when James dished a pass to Joel Embiid for a three-pointer, then when James buried his own shot from beyond the arc.
James’ first public appearance in a 76ers (practice) jersey Saturday afternoon came with far more hubbub than a typical preseason scrimmage. His impact was apparent all over the floor as a facilitator, pace-pusher and scorer for the revamped Sixers roster now expected to contend in a deep Eastern Conference.
For James, the annual Blue x White scrimmage was an “extension of training camp” and in his personal onboarding process in his first official days with his new team.
“As far as in the building, it’s been very smooth, in the simple fact that everybody’s been super welcoming,” James said following the scrimmage. “I’ve been able to implement some things in my voice, and as far as my command in how I play the game, and my experience of playing the game.
“I’m still getting more and more comfortable off the floor, as far as with the travel and without my family and things of that nature. So that’s going to be a little bit of a challenge. But everything’s been good so far. It’s been a great first week.”
The Sixers’ signing of the legendary James — plus trading for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown as part of a shocking offseason — prompted the move of their annual public scrimmage from their G League affiliate Delaware Blue Coats’ facility in Wilmington to South Philly in order to accommodate more fans. With skyrocketing ticket prices for the regular season, this might be the only time some of those in attendance Saturday will get to see this star-studded roster in person. Admission was a $10 donation to the Sixers Youth Foundation, with 5,000 tickets provided to families that receive grants from the organization’s nonprofit affiliate along with youth organizations and community partners.
LeBron James handles the ball as Dean Wade, left, defends in the Sixers’ public scrimmage. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
It was the start of a new relationship between Sixers fans and James, who said at media day that he appreciated the mutual respect and hate he received during his previous trips to Philly as an opponent.
Those in the stands Saturday got to watch James, wearing No. 9 instead of his iconic 23, deliver a behind-the-back pass to VJ Edgecombe in the corner. And throw down an alley-oop from Tyrese Maxey. And hit another step-back three-pointer.
After averaging 20.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, James maintained Saturday that he is willing “to pick up whatever a team may need” as the Sixers aim to best maximize their top-end talent.
“I’m just trying to fast-track everything, offensively and defensively,” James said. “The commands. The calls. The reads, and everything they’ve had in place over the few years. I’m stepping into a new system and I’m stepping into a whole new environment.”
The bulk of James’ initial work, however, has been in the privacy of the Sixers’ practice facility. Coach Nick Nurse and president of basketball operations Mike Gansey recently commended James’ consistent early arrival for his meticulous personal routine ahead of practice. Though his strong rapport with Maxey is already well-documented, James on Saturday reminded that he also has brief history with Embiid as part of the 2024 U.S. Olympic team.
Gansey also called James a tone-setter; that, at age 41, he is still diving on the floor for loose balls during practice.
“I mean, the guy is the biggest professional I’ve ever seen,” said Gansey, who also was in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office during James’ championship-winning stint with that team.
Once the Sixers begin preseason play Monday against the New York Knicks, James said he hopes to continue gaining rhythm with new teammates but “not overdo it” physically leading up to a high-profile Oct. 20 opening night at Madison Square Garden. The Sixers’ home opener is two nights later, against James’ familiar Cavaliers.
Yet Saturday afternoon will always mark the first time James got Cord’s booming introduction inside Xfinity Mobile Arena. Fans hung around the building long after the scrimmage concluded, at one point abruptly swarming to a fence overlooking the parking lot where players come and go.
They wanted a glimpse of James leaving his new home arena.
“Obviously, it was fun to be able to play in front of some of our Philly faithful for the first time,” James said. “ … It was a great first step in the direction we’re trying to go. And, like I said, it was great to hear some cheers.”
On the first day of 76ers training camp, Labaron Philon Jr. found himself backpedaling as LeBron James barreled toward him full-speed.
“That’s when the moment really hit,” Philon said. “I was like, ‘All right, it’s here now.’”
Consider it an early dose of “Welcome to the NBA” — and to the Sixers’ loaded roster — for the rookie point guard. But so far, Philon’s belief that he has been “able to stand [his] ground” against teammates with far more experience and established star power has been echoed by coach Nick Nurse. In these early practices, Nurse said he has been “super impressed” with Philon’s defensive competitiveness and ability to create offensively with the ball in his hands.
“He’s really talented,” Nurse said. “But the vision is, like, I think really special.”
Nurse’s early praise for Philon should not be dismissed as a preseason pump-up. Two years ago, Jared McCain was lauded as the Sixers’ best player during training camp, then became an early NBA Rookie of the Year frontrunner before tearing his meniscus. Last year, Nurse had zero hesitation about immediately inserting VJ Edgecombe into the starting lineup following a preseason that confirmed his maturity and versatility.
And it’s easy to forget that the Sixers’ wild offseason began when Philon slipped to them at No. 22 overall in the NBA draft.
In a strong class of lead ballhandlers, ESPN commentator and longtime coach Fran Fraschilla said Philon had the potential to be the best of the bunch. After Philon went from defensive stopper as a freshman at Alabama to top offensive option as a sophomore — he averaged 22 points on 39.9% shooting from three-point range, along with 4.9 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 32 games in 2025-26 — Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey and Nurse said on draft night that they expected the 20-year-old to instantly contend for a rotation role. He then flashed his crafty ballhalding and fearless shot-taking during Las Vegas Summer League.
“I think he’s going [up] quickly,” Nurse told a small group of reporters in Las Vegas in July. “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.”
The Sixers picked Lebaron Philon Jr. 22nd overall in the NBA draft.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
That Las Vegas stint came amid the Sixers’ stunning roster transformation. They traded for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown, then signed the legendary James. They also added fellow guard Anfernee Simons along with wings Dean Wade and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as more proven role players.
Still, Philon’s comments Friday — along with the occasional video clip posted by the Sixers’ social media team — suggested that he has been working in practice with the Sixers’ second unit. He said he has been building chemistry with Ariel Hukporti, who is the backup center while Adem Bona nurses a knee injury.
The 6-foot-4, 176-pound Philon said his first on-court priority with this group is to be a “ball hawk,” in the right spot to swipe steals as part of Nurse’s aggressive defensive philosophy. On the offensive end, Philon credited Alabama coach Nate Oats’ NBA-style system with helping him arrive in Camden already comfortable enough to use his voice to direct older teammates and play “on the fly.” Though passing has always been one of Philon’s strengths, he emphasized the importance of making the “easiest” decisions.
“Right now, I don’t really need no ‘showtime’ or kind of flashy plays,” he said. “The position I’m in right now, it’s, like, making the right play every time.”
As Philon continues his NBA transition, he vowed to “have questions ready every day” for his more experienced teammates. He recently asked Brown about how he remains focused to hit tough fadeaway jumpers through the defender’s contest. He wants to learn all of James’ secrets for career longevity. He has gotten tidbits from Edgecombe his rookie experience and on shaping his prepractice routine. And he has engaged in one-on-one conversations with All-NBA point guard Tyrese Maxey about proper reads to make when the first option is not available.
“That takes a lot from everybody,” Philon said. “So I feel like I’ve been appreciating that, just being happy that those guys are here to help.”
There are bound to be more moments when Philon is caught backpedaling — figuratively and literally — during his rookie season on a Sixers team facing high pressure and expectations. But he already exudes the belief that he will continue standing his ground.
It’s a confidence Nurse and teammates share.
“Labaron’s good,” Simons matter-of-factly said at media day. “He’s good, for sure. … There are going to be times when, for sure, we’re going to need him.”
Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti first met on the basketball floor as teenagers, while playing for the Turkish and German national team programs, respectively. They were on rival teams again when they reached the NBA, with the 76ers and New York Knicks.
Still, Bona smiled and said, “That’s my guy” when asked about Hukporti at Monday’s Sixers media day.
Now they are teammates, after Hukporti signed as a free agent following his stint as a deep reserve on the Knicks’ championship run. Their longstanding healthy competition has shifted internally, for an important role on this star-heavy Sixers roster with massive expectations. Bona and Hukporti, who are less proven than several of their bench counterparts, are the primary contenders to fill the backup center minutes behind Joel Embiid — and to start when Embiid inevitably misses games to manage his health.
“People can say ‘battle’ or whatever,” Hukporti said following Thursday’s training camp practice. “But when it comes to the end goal, [you’re] coming together as a team and you produce as a team. It don’t matter. It can be me playing five minutes, [Bona] playing 15 minutes. Me playing 25 minutes, him playing 15. …
“Whoever gets in, gets in. Get the job done. Especially in the playoffs, we need everybody. We need all players.”
Hukporti would know. The 7-footer received spot minutes during the Knicks’ playoff tear, including in Game 1 of their second-round series sweep of the Sixers when All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns and sound backup Mitchell Robinson got into early foul trouble.
Still, in an overwhelmingly lauded first offseason for new Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey — which included signing all-time great LeBron James, trading for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown, and adding role players such as Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons — the Hukporti signing arrived with the most uncertainty. The 24-year-old has logged 715 total minutes across 79 career games in his first two NBA seasons, averaging 2.1 points and 2.7 rebounds.
The 6-10 Bona, meanwhile, held the Sixers’ backup center role for the bulk of last season. And in several games Embiid did not play, Bona maintained the reserve minutes behind veteran Andre Drummond, who coincidentally left Philly to sign with the Knicks in free agency.
Sixers center Adem Bona has missed training camp for a knee injury. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Bona is an excellent athlete and shot-blocker, but is still raw offensively and has struggled with fouling and catching the ball. He averaged 4.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 71 games with 18 starts last season, and also has expressed a strong desire to play next to Embiid in big lineups. In July, the Sixers guaranteed Bona’s $2.3 million salary for the final year of his contract in 2026-27, creating a crucial season for the 23-year-old.
Yet with Bona sidelined with a foot sprain sustained while playing for Turkey over the summer, opportunity has surfaced for Hukporti so far during training camp.
While highlighting the Sixers’ new-look bench unit Thursday, coach Nick Nurse called Hukporti “athletic, long, [and] plays really hard. He’s been awesome to see.” Hukporti added that he hopes to showcase more of his offensive repertoire with the Sixers, with “quite-good” ball movement during early practices helping him get to his floater and around-the-rim finishes.
Hukporti’s current spot on the depth chart also has meant matching up against Embiid, who has impressed Hukporti with his post game and patience to get to his spots on the floor.
“Obviously, he was an MVP in this league,” Hukporti said of Embiid. “And it just makes me a way better defender.”
Nurse said Thursday that Bona is expected to be reevaluated in the next couple days and could be available to play at some point during the preseason. Fellow returners Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker, who both parlayed two-way contracts into standard deals last season, are small-ball center options. The 7-6 Tacko Fall, who is on an Exhibit 10 deal and in contention to land the Sixers’ final two-way contract, is out at least two weeks with a hip issue. James has even played center at points during his legendary career.
But the Sixers’ prime position battle begins with former “rivals” Bona and Hukporti, who have been competing against each other in some capacity since they were teenagers.
“Now we’re on the same team,” Hukporti said. “So it’s been nothing but a blessing.”
For the duration of Tyrese Maxey’s NBA career, Dean Wade was on the Cleveland Cavaliers, which meant Maxey and Wade shared the floor plenty over the last six years.
But one quality of Wade didn’t stand out for Maxey until they got on the practice floor together.
“I didn’t know he was this tall,” Maxey said. “You play against a guy two or three times a year, but you don’t really realize until you’re seeing somebody every day — he’s tall. He’s really tall.”
Wade, listed at 6-foot-9, will be utilizing that height off the bench to bolster the Sixers defense. His arrival from Cleveland was a part of the team’s plans before the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown and landed LeBron James. Now that both Brown and James are here, Wade figures to be an ideal bench piece to complement this group. He’s a low-usage shooter, but someone who can knock down open threes (36.7% for his career), and he is a defensive standout who can take on a team’s best player, thanks in part to that height.
“That’s what’s going to separate us on the defensive end, too, we have so many great defenders, great help side defenders and great on-ball defenders,” Wade said.
Here’s some of Tyrese Maxey today talking about developing chemistry with his teammates in transition, also what he’s learned about playing alongside Dean Wade. “I didn’t realize he was this tall.” pic.twitter.com/l8jTqsX36z
Wade came to the Sixers thanks in part to his relationship in Cleveland with president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, who previously served as the Cavaliers general manager. Gansey and Wade bonded early over their shared rivalries from the Big 12 (Gansey went to West Virginia, Wade Kansas State) and the undrafted Wade steadily carved out a role for himself with the Cavaliers with his commitment to defense.
He credited two coaches of his there, Josh Broghamer and Chris Darnell, with instilling the value of defense in him — not just how defense could affect a team, but how he could help him find a role in the NBA. So he got in the weight room and kept developing his lateral quickness so he could stay in front of his man.
“They were like, ‘The one thing that’s going to keep you on the floor is defense,’” Wade said. “‘You’re big. You move lateral, you’re quick enough that you can stay in front of people.’ And I think they’re like, ‘If you want to play, you want to stick in the NBA, you got to do that. You know, every team has scores, people that can create. You got to be different.’”
Wade, who averaged 5.8 points last season, said one of his goals this season on offense was to make sure he gave his teammates space to create and do their thing. He wouldn’t be hunting for his own shot. Maxey said he was going to encourage Wade to shoot more.
“He’s also somebody who knows how to play a role, and he knows how to star in his role, too. He doesn’t deviate,” Maxey said. “[I’ll] be on him this year about shooting the ball. I want him to shoot a lot of threes. He can shoot the ball.”
Dean Wade (45) during Sixers media day on Monday.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
When told what Maxey said, Wade flashed a smile, as if he has heard 1,000 times in his career that he has the green light to shoot the ball more.
“They pay me to shoot the ball when I’m open and play defense, so I have to do that,” Wade said. “Coach [Nick Nurse] has been on me a few times already, so it’s something that I’ve been told before. It’s not like I hate it; it’s better to shoot than stop shooting, but it will come along when you get into the flow of games and getting repetition, and time with each other.”
Among his initial impressions so far at camp, Wade said both Jaylen Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope think the game similarly to him, and he has also been impressed with the maturity of VJ Edgecombe, even though the second-year guard is only 21 years old.
“I love the way he plays. I really do,” Wade said. “So anytime I get out there on his team, like I love it because man, he’s flying around in transition, making the right cuts. He’s sacrificing shots for people, and … he plays the right way.”
“I’ve been in the gym quite a bit with everyone,” Wade said. “The biggest thing coming in is being yourself. Especially, in training camp, just come out, be who you’re going to be all season and let everyone learn what you do.”
Jaylen Brown could not hold back the chuckle when asked about the 76ers’ offseason.
“Um, I think they did a great job,” Brown said at his introductory news conference Thursday afternoon.
Probably the correct response from Brown with Mike Gansey — the Sixers’ new president of basketball operations who traded for the All-NBA wing in a shocking blockbuster with the Boston Celtics last month — sitting in the front row alongside other front-office personnel and owner Josh Harris. It also is the overwhelming consensus, after the Sixers acquired Brown and then signed all-timer LeBron James to add to the core of All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey, former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid, and explosive young guard VJ Edgecombe.
Brown was quick to point out that the Sixers’ “excellent” on-paper roster does not guarantee they will fulfill their expectations to immediately compete for a championship. A few minutes later, Gansey echoed that sentiment while meeting with local media for the first time since his team landed James.
But Gansey did concede that he “would have never thought our offseason would turn out like the way it [did].”
“We’ve got to figure it out and gel,” Gansey added from Francis J. Myers Recreation Center. “But it definitely makes me pinch myself a little bit, like, ‘Man, we really have a lot of talent.’”
It was difficult to fathom all of this when Gansey — who previously worked his way up to general manager in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office — was first introduced as the Sixers’ new lead executive at the team’s practice facility in early June.
Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey (left), All-NBA star Jaylen Brown and owner Josh Harris pose for a photo during Brown’s introductory press conference.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
The Sixers appeared locked into the max contracts of the aging and oft-injured Embiid and Paul George, with little maneuverability to make sweeping changes to the roster. And back then, it was unclear if James was even considering leaving the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, much less would consider signing a far-below-market veteran’s minimum contract with the Sixers.
Yet Gansey on Thursday reiterated what he told The Inquirer last month at Las Vegas Summer League, that he and Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens talked for “days” (and kept quiet) about a potential deal to swap Brown for George and four draft picks. After that move popped July 1, Gansey believed the Sixers suddenly “had a chance to be in the mix” for James, who on July 24 announced his decision to come to Philly. The Sixers also recently signed veteran 3-and-D wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — a former James teammate with the Lakers — to add more championship experience to a franchise that has not advanced past the playoffs’ second round since 2001 or won a title since 1983.
“Just having that presence,” Gansey said, “that everyday leadership that we’re going to have is going to be invaluable for everybody.”
Gansey quipped the Sixers now “kind of have a Big 5” in their starting lineup, plus helpful bench contributors in defensive wing Dean Wade and sharpshooter Anfernee Simons. He compared coach Nick Nurse to “a kid in a candy store” while already thinking about the various lineup configurations. Though the Sixers technically still have one full-time roster spot open, unless they waive reserve forward Jabari Walker (whose contract is partially guaranteed at $250,000 until Jan. 10), they must wait until December to sign another player because they are hard-capped at the first apron. They do have one two-way contract slot remaining, after signing Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert to such deals.
Throughout this week, Gansey said there were eight players working out at the Sixers’ facility — including a visibly slimmed-down Embiid, who Gansey described as “doing all the right things” and “super motivated.” James and Maxey, who are longtime offseason workout buddies, have been photographed training together in Los Angeles. Brown has been making the rounds in Philly, throwing out the first pitch at Thursday’s Phillies-Nationals game and visiting Eagles training camp Friday. Gansey said he is unsure when James will stop by Camden, though teams typically reconvene after Labor Day for informal pickup games before training camp begins in late September.
That is when the Sixers will begin blending a talented and revamped roster on the floor. But in the aftermath of the Sixers’ stunning offseason, Gansey is metaphorically pinching himself.
“The vibes are high,” Gansey said. “Everyone’s excited. Once we get together, I’m excited to see what the journey’s going to look like.”
There are two sets of questions for these 76ers. Maybe it feels like that’s always been the case. Except that it hasn’t.
The questions used to be: Will Joel Embiid be healthy? How often? To what extent? At what level of effectiveness? Nothing beyond these things mattered. Without Embiid, the Sixers weren’t a team you could even pretend to take seriously.
Things aren’t what they used to be. With or without Embiid, the Sixers feel like they have a team that will have an identity. More than that, they feel like they have a team that will have a chance. If they didn’t make that clear when it traded for Jaylen Brown, they certainly did when they formally introduced him.
The only things missing from Thursday’s press conference at Francis J. Myers Recreation Center in Southwest Philly were a marching band and a vice-presidential nominee. Upward of 100 people packed into the rows of plastic folding chairs that covered most of the width of the rec center’s indoor court and three-quarters of its length.
In addition to the ownership group and most of the front office and Brown’s family and reporters from both Philly and Boston, there were cheerleaders and game day event staffers and security guards and a DJ and a gaggle of youth from the local community.
New Sixer Jaylen Brown arrives for his introductory press conference at the Francis Myers Recreation Center on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026 in Philadelphia.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
While it was Brown who keenly requested that the event be held at a local rec center, the proceedings were just as much a show of force from the Sixers that left little room for doubt about the gravity they expect their newly acquired superstar to impart on the organization.
“What an event,” Sixers first-year president of basketball operations Mike Gansey said. “It’s a special, special day to be a 76er.”
While it would be easy to sit here and wonder about Embiid’s thoughts on all of the hoopla surrounding Brown, the much more relevant question concerns their coexistence on the court. Feelings? Sure. Everyone has them. But they require political capital to matter. For much of his tenure, the Sixers adhered to a doctrine of appeasement. Several different front offices and coaching staffs operated as if they lived in fear of a trade demand. Now, the Sixers couldn’t trade Embiid if they wanted. Both sides are surely aware of that.
Besides, we’ve seen and heard plenty to suggest that Embiid is at the very least receptive to having another superstar on board. On Thursday, Brown said that the Sixers center reached out to him shortly after the trade went down. The team has an active group chat. Yes, LeBron James is a part of it.
“Me and Joel have been friends throughout the years,” Brown said. “I love soccer, so we talk about that a lot. He reached out, too, when I got traded. He reached out the same day. I talked to him on the phone. I’m looking forward to earning everybody’s trust and respect and grinding and impacting winning. That’s what I’ve done my whole career, and that’s what I plan on doing here.”
That’s all that counts in the chemistry department, for the time being. Even if Brown and Embiid have some aspects of their personalities that make you wonder about the occasional friction, the decade of close quarters competition between the two has generally revealed a healthy mutual respect. The two players shared a long one-on-one moment near midcourt in the aftermath of the Sixers’ win over the Celtics in Game 7 of April’s first-round playoff series. The two most important personality traits in any professional relationship are to mean well and to want to win the task at hand. Both Brown and Embiid have those fundamentals. That’s enough for now.
The success and failure of the Brown-Embiid partnership will be determined by how well it works on the court. That, in turn, will determine whether the Sixers have the potential to become a truly great team. Brown and Embiid are both the ceiling and the floor. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe both have the skill profile and willingness to adapt their roles to those around him. James did it even in his prime. Now, he is at an age where one generally accepts who he needs to be. The big question marks are Brown and Embiid.
This isn’t a question of personality as much as it is a question of technical fit. There are a lot of parallels between Brown and Embiid, at least from a critical perspective. Shot selection, tunnel vision, decision-making, possession time, efficiency, pace in the half court, all have offered ample fodder for skeptics. Of the 20 players with a usage rate of at least 29% over the last eight seasons, only two have averaged fewer than four assists per game. You guessed it. Embiid and Brown.
Whether or not these criticisms are prescient or fair, Brown and Embiid are clearly the two players who have the potential to clunk the operation up to a point of dysfunction. Don’t interpret that as a disservice to either. It’s just the style of their games. Whether the Sixers reach their ceiling will depend overwhelmingly on how well Brown and Embiid adapt their games to what optimizes the collective. Each has the ability to be the player they need to be. It is not a complicated thing. Drive when you have a lane. Shoot when you have a shot. Otherwise, keep the ball moving.
“To win, you’ve got to be able to have sacrifice,” Brown said. “You’ve got to be able to have communication.”
The presence of James as a connector and secondary playmaker should help. So, too, should the presence of Maxey and Edgecombe, two of the more likable, earnest and adaptable young players in the game. But if we are going to assume that Embiid’s outlook is as promising as the reports suggest, the Sixers’ fate will ultimately be determined by his synergy with Brown.
LAS VEGAS — Jaylen Brown has made one brief Sixers appearance, sitting courtside for Saturday’s Summer League game.
Still, the acquisition of the All-NBA wing was one of the more prominent topics throughout his new team’s stay in Las Vegas. There were entertaining stories about how various Sixers found out about the blockbuster trade, illustrating how stunning the move was even to those close to it. And there was excitement for how Brown is expected to enhance a talented roster now with realistic aspirations to contend.
Edgecombe was in his native Bahamas — and at a spa — when he accidentally missed multiple calls from Sixers executive vice president of basketball operations Jameer Nelson.
Then, when he saw a text from Nelson asking to call him as soon as possible, Edgecombe got nervous.
“I was like, ‘Man, it’s free agency, why you calling me so much?’” Edgecombe recalled. “I thought I was gone.”
VJ Edgecombe and Jaylen Brown will be the defensive pillars of the Sixers. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
The actual news Nelson wanted to share — that the trade for Brown was about to happen — still “shocked” Edgecombe, calling it “the last thing I expected.” Edgecombe also described it as “bittersweet” because of the quick rapport he developed with the outgoing Paul George, but said he is eager to play with Brown while at the “peak of his career.”
Justin Edwards
This trade was kept so under wraps that even Edwards did not catch wind of it while at the Sixers’ facility on the day it popped.
Edwards had just finished a pool conditioning workout and glanced at the television on a sports program dissecting all the league-wide offseason moves. And did a double-take.
“They were talking about Jaylen Brown and PG, but I didn’t pay attention to it,” Edwards said. “I [saw] it, but I looked away. Then I looked again. I’m like, ‘Oh, snap!’ So I called ’Rese [Tyrese Maxey] and he was like, ‘Yeah, man, I knew since this morning.’ I’m like, ‘That’s crazy.’”
Dean Wade
Wade had already agreed to sign with the Sixers as a free agent the night before the Brown trade. Wade said he was intrigued by a brief “rumor” he heard about the possibility of such a move, but believed it had died out. Then, “all of a sudden, out of nowhere, it just kind of popped back up and it was a done deal.”
As a versatile wing defender who has played his entire career in the Eastern Conference, Wade has plenty of first-hand experience with trying to counter Brown’s offensive prowess and “edge.” He called Brown “definitely one of the toughest people I’ve had to guard. Especially last year, he was just a monster.”
“He gets to his spots [on the court],” Wade said. “It doesn’t really matter if you’re there or not. If you don’t block it, it’s going in, probably. … His size and his athleticism and his skill, they all go hand-in-hand.
“He’s hard to stay in front of. And then he’s also a lot stronger than people think. So he gives you a little bump in the paint [and] it’s kind of hard to recover from that.”
Labaron Philon Jr.
The rookie guard said he was not overly shocked when he heard about the trade because he prides himself on keeping his emotions in check. But he knows Brown is going to be a valuable resource during his first NBA season.
“He has that championship DNA,” Philon said. “I feel like, as a young guy, that’s somebody you want to look up to [and] somebody you want to learn from. Somebody that’s already been in that moment, he can help all the other guys too that haven’t reached that level yet [and] help us get over that hump.
“With him coming in, I feel like it’s going to be special. We’re going to go at it at practice. He’s going to push me. I’m going to try to push him to the next level.”
Anfernee Simons
Simons is joining a new team in the Sixers, but reuniting with a former teammate in Brown. They played together with the Celtics for part of last season, before Simons was traded to the Chicago Bulls at the February deadline.
Simons called Brown “kind of the epitome” of a two-way player.
“He’s going to guard the best [opposing] player and go out there and give you 30 [points],” Simons said during his first media availability as a Sixer. “That’s what makes him special, what makes him different.
“So he’s going to come in and bring that championship mentality from Day 1 and try to instill that in the team.”
Mike Gansey
The Sixers’ new president of basketball operations landed Brown by following advice he learned while working his way up the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office: Make the call. Gansey then aimed to assuage Brown’s initial shock about being traded to the rival Sixers with this simple message: “I want you on my team.”
“I’ve watched him against Cleveland, and he’s always killed us,” Gansey said. “ … We’re just super lucky to get him, and I know he’s motivated. 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 [Embiid is] in a great space and he’s excited, as well.
Mike Gansey shared a simple message with Jaylen Brown after the blockbuster trade: “I want you on my team.”Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
“Obviously, we’ve got to see what it looks like. You can’t win a trade in July. … 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.
“I would have never envisioned this, when I’m sitting there [for my introductory news conference in early June]. … Just opportunities arise. And that’s why, this business, you can plan all you want and prepare, but you just don’t know. Things happen.”
Dalen Terry
Terry was taking a nap — with his cell phone and his baby daughter resting on his chest — when the calls and messages about the trade started pouring in.
“I’m like, ‘Am I still on the team?!’” Terry said once he checked his phone. “ … I’m like, ‘OK, who was it for?’ They said PG [and] I’m like, ‘Dang …’
“I was just thinking about PG the whole time. Then I was like, ‘Wait, we got Jaylen Brown.’”
The Sixers’ coach praised Brown’s versatility on both ends of the floor, along with his competitiveness and winning pedigree.
“You watch him get a lot better from year to year to year,” Nurse said, “and how much harder that became to game plan for him. … He’s sitting in his prime. It’s amazing that he’s going to be a Sixer.”
T.J. DiLeo
When asked about Brown sitting courtside for Saturday’s Summer League game, DiLeo had a confession.
“Can I tell you the truth?” the summer Sixers’ coach said. “I didn’t even see him. I try not to look over there that much, but that is amazing to have him here. … The guys seeing him, obviously, that’s great. That’s what we’re looking for with our team, just the support of one another, the support of the organization. So that’s really cool that he [was] here, man.
“I wish [I’d seen] him now. I probably [would have] looked over and would have shook his hand afterward, or something.”
Steve Gansey was playing with his son a few weeks ago, as ESPN hummed in the background, when he heard something unusual. It was Kendrick Perkins, talking to his NBA Today cohosts, about a photo that recently went viral.
It was taken in 2000, and was on the front page of the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s sports section. Ten high school basketball players from Northeast Ohio stood side by side, in their respective jerseys.
The group had been voted by coaches and athletics directors as the best players in the region. There was Maverick Carter and Chester Mason (“Chet the Jet”) toward the left. Brian Swift was closer to the middle, alongside Mike Patrick.
But what caught the commentators’ attention was to the far right: future Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, of Olmsted Falls High School, alongside future Hall of Famer LeBron James, of St. Vincent-St. Mary.
Gansey was a junior at the time; James was a freshman. Steve Gansey, Mike’s younger brother, posted the photo on X on July 1, with an eyeball emoji, promptly setting the Sixers fan base ablaze with speculation.
Before long, it received hundreds of retweets. Sixers fans sent Gansey direct messages asking if he had any information on whether James would consider coming to Philadelphia.
“I’m getting DMs like ‘Hey if you make this happen, free cheesesteaks,’” Steve said. “And I’m like, ‘OK, alright, cool!’”
The post eventually reached the NBA Today crew. As the younger Gansey held a Sheriff Woody doll in one hand, and a Buzz Lightyear doll in the other, he overheard the panel referring to him.
“Perk goes, ‘Gansey’s little brother posted this picture,’” Gansey said. “And I’m like, ‘Uh oh. Mike’s going to be [ticked].’”
Mike was not upset. The younger Gansey, who coached for 14 years (seven as head coach) in the NBA G League, asked if his brother wanted him to delete the photo. The Sixers executive said, “No dude, it’s cool.” But he certainly wasn’t as enthusiastic as Sixers fans.
“Mike is a very humble person,” Steve said. “He doesn’t like attention and all that. I just think it’s one of the coolest pictures, and it’s not just Mike and LeBron.
“There are some unbelievable basketball players in that Cleveland, Akron, northeast Ohio area. I’m glad they’re getting some love, too.”
Sixers president Mike Gansey (left) and NBA star LeBron James both played high school basketball in Ohio, where James beat out Gansey for Mr. Basketball Ohio in 2001.Tom Gralish and Charles Fox / Staff Photographers
Steve has long teased his brother about his run-in with the future Hall of Famer. When Mike was working in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office, his brother would joke that he’d make T-shirts with the photo printed on the front.
Mike’s response: “No. Do not do that.”
Steve also sent the photo to Koby Altman, Cleveland’s president of basketball operations, who worked closely with Gansey in the Cavaliers’ front office.
“Koby loved it,” Steve said. “He laughed. He said, ‘Oh I know, we’ve talked about it a couple times.’”
The truth is that James and Gansey never competed against each other on their high school teams. Olmsted Falls and St. Vincent-St. Mary were in different regions.
Olmsted Falls, which is on the west side of Cleveland, was grouped with schools in northwest Ohio, closer to Toledo. St. Vincent-St. Mary’s is south of Cleveland, and often played schools in the Akron-Canton area.
It is possible they overlapped playing AAU ball, but if they did, Steve didn’t hear about it. Coincidentally, the elder Gansey also played AAU ball against former Eagles and current Green Bay defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who is also from the Cleveland area.
“He went to St. Ignatius,” Steve said. “Mike battled him.”
Despite their lack of competitive overlap, James and Mike Gansey shared a mutual respect. Over the years, Gansey frequently referred to the future Hall of Famer as the “greatest of all time.”
And James thought highly of the future executive, too. One time, when Gansey was playing in Europe, and James was in the midst of his first stint with the Cavaliers, the two brothers went to a game at Quicken Loans Arena (now Rocket Arena).
Gansey knew some of Cleveland’s players, from training with them during the summer, and went down to the tunnel to say hello.
“And we were probably 100 feet from where LeBron and his people were talking,” Steve recalled. “Someone said, ‘Ganz is over there.’ And LeBron totally walked the opposite way of where he was going, and went to dap up Mike, to say, ‘What’s up, hey man, how you doing?’ Just a quick hello.
“It just shows you the respect. And I was like, ‘Man, Mike, he really walked 100 feet over here, and just dapped you, and walked directly right back. That’s pretty cool.’ And Mike’s like, ‘Yeah, yeah, he’s a great guy,’ and that was it. I’ll always remember that.”
Steve Gansey (left center) is the younger brother of Sixers executive Mike Gansey (right center).Courtesy of Steve Gansey
The Sixers president of basketball operations isn’t the type to brag about any of this, or even mention it. He has never been one for the limelight. His high school coach, Pat Donahue, described him as a team player, almost to a “fault.”
If anything, he was the opposite. There were times when Donahue would have to talk to Gansey, midgame, to encourage him to take more shots. Even in AAU, competing with players who were trying to get the attention of college schools, he was very much team-first.
“He very rarely came out and said, ‘OK, I’m gonna hit five threes in this game to try to get the coach from Duke to pay attention to me,’” said Donahue. “He was more, ‘Hey, I’ll pass to this guy,’ or ‘I’ll do this, I’ll get some rebounds and help the team win.’ And he’s always been that way.”
Despite the future executive’s selfless style of play, he finished his high school career with 1,909 points, which is still the boys’ basketball all-time record at Olmsted Falls. Donahue felt bad that his pupil wasn’t able to reach 2,000, and mentioned this to him after his senior season.
“I walked up to him and I said, ‘Mike, I’m sorry, 90 more points, or whatever it was,’” Donahue said. “‘I could have gotten you that by doing stuff for you.’ And he goes, ‘Coach. I don’t care. That doesn’t mean anything.’ And that’s just the way he is. It didn’t mean anything to him.”
Gansey’s professional basketball career was short-lived. He had a short stint in the D-League (now the G League) and played in Germany, Italy, and Spain for a few years. But that experience was not for naught.
Those who know Gansey best say he was quietly studying the players around him, through an entirely different lens. As his teammates thought about how to attack opponents, the future executive was pondering roster construction and player makeup.
Mike Gansey was hired as the Sixers’ president of basketball operations last month.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
When he reached the Cavaliers’ front office, he was well acquainted with the NBA. But that didn’t keep Gansey from his meticulous preparation. He would attend Summer League games with Donahue in Las Vegas, bringing a big notepad to scribble down thoughts during games.
“He’d be at every Summer League game, and he would sit there,” Donahue said, “and this is before he was the [general manager] of the Canton [G League] team. He would watch every summer league game. Every one.
“And he would sit there with his notebook, and he would just take notes about the players. I don’t even know how much say he had in what the Cavs did. He just wanted to be prepared.”
His little brother and the former Olmsted Falls coach say that in Gansey, the Sixers are getting a hardworking executive who keeps his head down but is aggressive, just like he was as a player.
And so far, his Philadelphia tenure is off to a promising start (with the exception of a Phillies mishap in June).
“Oh, he loves it,” Steve said. “He loves it. He loves the city, loves everyone embracing him. Mike felt really bad about that no-hitter he jinxed, but I joked with him, ‘I think you made up for it a little bit.’
“I mean, time will tell, but you got them off your back at least. So, that’s pretty impressive, even though you haven’t played any games yet.”
