Philadelphia is 0-0 with the season not yet underway, but the roster looks nothing like last year's 45-37 team after the Jaylen Brown trade and the LeBron James signing. The preseason opens October 5 against the Knicks, with the real opener October 20 in New York.
What actually changed on this roster?
Philadelphia sent Paul George and two first-round picks plus two second-round picks to Boston for Jaylen Brown, then signed LeBron James to a two-year, $8 million deal on July 27. Dillon Jones was moved off the roster on September 8. That's Embiid, Maxey, Brown and James sharing the floor now, a fundamentally different team than the one that finished 45-37.
Who's banged up before camp even opens?
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is day-to-day with a finger and arm issue on his right side, with an estimated return of October 1. Nobody else is on the injury list yet, though last season Embiid himself played just 38 games, the number every 76ers fan is quietly watching this camp.
What does the preseason look like?
Four games: October 5 vs. the Knicks, October 8 at the Nets, October 10 at the Celtics, October 16 vs. the Celtics. The real thing tips off October 20 at New York, on NBC/Peacock, against the team that swept Philadelphia out of the second round and cost Daryl Morey his job.
How tight is the money?
Philadelphia's payroll sits at $213.2 million, above the first apron and well past the $200.4 million luxury tax line. Embiid ($58.1M), Brown ($57.1M) and Maxey ($40.8M) eat most of it, with Edgecombe ($11.7M) and Wade ($9.0M) rounding out the top five. There isn't much room left to fix anything that breaks.
Was last season actually as mediocre as the record suggests?
45-37, with a 114.3 offensive rating and a 114.4 defensive rating, 16th and 16th leaguewide, for a net rating of -0.1. Pace was 100.4, dead in the middle of the league. That's the team the front office decided needed Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, not a tweak.
When do the 76ers play their first game of 2026-27?
The preseason opens October 5 at home against the Knicks; the regular season starts October 20 at New York, on NBC/Peacock.
Is Joel Embiid healthy heading into camp?
There's no injury listed for Embiid right now. The only player on the injury report is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, day-to-day with a finger and arm issue.