Joel Embiid says the Philadelphia 76ers won’t need any of their stars to sacrifice their game for the team to succeed this season, even as questions swirl about how a roster now packed with marquee names will share the ball.
The Sixers enter the 2026-27 season with a roster that includes Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, both lifelong Sixers, alongside Jaylen Brown, who arrived in a blockbuster trade, and LeBron James, who chose Philadelphia this offseason after weighing several free-agent options.
Speaking after Friday’s preseason finale, Embiid pushed back on the idea that the team’s talent glut would force stars to diminish their roles.
“I’m against the concept of sacrificing,” Embiid said. “I think the way I explained it was you do what you do best, and we’re going to support you. … I don’t think anybody has to take a back seat.”
Four of Philadelphia’s stars played in Friday’s exhibition, while rising guard VJ Edgecombe sat out. The game gave fans an early look at what coach Nick Nurse’s team might resemble once the regular season tips off next week.
Embiid looked sharp, finishing with 27 points, eight rebounds and a highlight dunk. But the Sixers ultimately fell to the Boston Celtics 125-120 in overtime, closing out the preseason for both teams.
The Sixers’ new-look lineup showed some rust, with Brown pointing to spacing problems as a factor in several turnovers.
“We’re not where we want to be yet,” Brown said. “So that’s just a part of it. It’s a part of coming together, a new group with a bunch of guys, different style, but we just got to keep getting better every day.”
James echoed that sentiment but didn’t sound worried about the team’s long-term chemistry.
“We’re getting there,” James said. “I mean, obviously we are a couple of weeks in, so we’re still working on our rhythm, working on our kinks, and it’s not going to be perfect.”
The 76ers open the regular season Tuesday with a trip to Madison Square Garden to face the defending champion New York Knicks, one of three marquee matchups kicking off the NBA’s 2026-27 season.
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