Philadelphia traded Paul George and four draft picks to Boston for Jaylen Brown, then signed a 41-year-old LeBron James to a two-year, $8 million deal on July 27. Both bets lean on Joel Embiid, who played just 38 games last season, staying on the floor far more often than that.
What did the Sixers actually give up for Jaylen Brown?
Philadelphia sent Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks to Boston to land him, a real bill paid to the rival that has ended more than one Sixers season. Brown is 29 and coming off 28.7 points a game over 71 games in Boston. That production has to show up against the teams the picks would have helped beat.
Why does one center's health decide this whole season?
Embiid played only 38 games last season but still averaged 26.9 points in 31.6 minutes. Maxey and Brown can score without him, but the roster was built assuming he plays closer to a full slate. Last season's team finished with a -0.1 net rating while he missed half the schedule; the math on a healthy Embiid looks nothing like that.
Is LeBron at 41 a real piece or a two-year experiment?
He signed for two years and $8 million on July 27, betting there is still a full season left in him. Last year with the Lakers he played 60 games, averaging 20.9 points and 7.2 assists at 33.2 minutes a night. Nurse now has three players used to touching the ball every possession and one offense to split it with.
Who is actually steering this roster right now?
Daryl Morey was fired as president of basketball operations on May 12, and Bob Myers has run the front office on an interim basis since, with no permanent hire named. That leaves the biggest bet of the Embiid era without the executive who built it, while the payroll sits at $213.2 million, above the $209.0 million threshold that limits what Myers can even do about it.
Can this roster finally get past the second round?
New York swept Philadelphia out of the second round last season and eliminated them in the first round in 2024. Brown, Maxey, James and Embiid open the regular season October 20 against that same Knicks team, on the road. Last season ended at 45-37 with a near-even net rating; nothing about this roster is settled until it answers for that history.
How much are the 76ers paying in total salary this season?
$213.2 million, which is already above the $209.0 million threshold the league sets as the first line of tax restrictions.
When do the 76ers open the 2026-27 regular season?
October 20, 2026, on the road against the Knicks, airing on NBC/Peacock.
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