LeBron James moved quickly to shut down a viral story tying him to Joel Embiid and a supposed late arrival at 76ers practice.
The episode started with Mike Breen, who said during the 76ers’ 120-97 win over the Knicks in their preseason opener last night, “I had somebody tell me before the game that they were out ready to practice when Joel Embiid walked out on the court a couple of minutes late,” said Breen during the 76ers’ 120-97 win over the Knicks in their preseason opener last night. “LeBron let him hear it.”
James responded on Instagram with a direct denial, writing, “He ain’t been late, so stop the lies,” with a cap emoji ahead of the message.
That public pushback has effectively undercut the report, and Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports added his own note that the mood around the team has been good. “I would add to this that beyond all of us being able to see the shape Joel is in, everything I have heard from people around the Sixers about him has been universally positive throughout camp and offseason - in early, extra workouts, participating in everything, etc,” wrote Neubeck on X.
Embiid has not commented publicly, but the combination of James’ denial and the positive chatter from around the Sixers points away from any real issue. The original story also drew scrutiny because Breen, an announcer known for his fandom of their rivals, the Knicks, had relayed it on live television.
Neither James nor Embiid played in last night’s preseason opener against the Knicks. James’ last preseason appearance came in October 2024, and he sat out the entire preseason last year while recovering from a sciatica injury, which he reportedly still deals with today. That makes it possible fans won’t see him again until the regular season.
Embiid, though, could still get preseason run. As the 76ers move on to their next exhibition game, attention now shifts to whether he returns to the floor.
In Other News...
Bruce Brown Is Suddenly In A Knicks Fight Fans Didn't Expect
Bruce Browns path to New York has been shaped as much by the leagues new spending rules as by his own rsum. The 30-year-old forward, long valued as a high-energy bench piece, landed with the Knicks on a training camp deal after drawing limited interest elsewhere, a reminder of how the NBAs second apron has made life harder for veteran free agents hunting for the kind of stable, longer-term opportunity Brown once would have had.
Now Brown is simply trying to stick, which is a different challenge entirely. Training camp invitations always carry an edge of uncertainty, but in this case the Knicks depth chart leaves little room for comfort, and the competition for a roster spot has become the real story as New York sorts out its back end before opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Are Running Into A Harsh Pacome Dadiet Reality
Pacome Dadiets first year in New York has not exactly given the Knicks much leverage. The team is said to be exploring ways to move the young wing in order to clear a roster spot and create a little more salary-cap flexibility, but the market has not responded the way they had hoped. After a lukewarm Summer League, World Cup qualifiers and preseason showing, Dadiet has not built the kind of buzz that usually helps a player become a useful trade chip.
For the Knicks, that leaves a familiar front office problem: trying to turn a roster logjam into a clean solution without paying too high a price. There has been no concrete deal reported, and the lack of outside interest suggests New York may have to get creative to get anything done. For now, Dadiet remains on the roster and the team is still looking for a path forward that fits both the cap sheet and the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Suddenly Have A Frontcourt Concern They Really Didn't Need
Ariel Hukportis preseason ended before it really began, and the setback adds another layer to a Philadelphia frontcourt that is already trying to manage a messy injury picture. The 76ers said the big man was hurt in a preseason game, then later confirmed the issue after an MRI before announcing he had surgery, a brutal turn for a player brought in to help stabilize the interior.
For Knicks fans, the timing makes this one worth a glance even from afar. Hukporti was part of last seasons championship run in New York before Philadelphia signed him in July to a one-year, $3.4 million deal, and now his absence leaves the 76ers thinner up front at a moment when they can least afford another body lost. [Read more 🡒]