The 76ers didn’t just open preseason with a 120-97 win over the reigning champion New York Knicks on Monday - they may have also stumbled into an early chemistry story worth watching.
With both teams keeping their established players on limited minutes, it’s tough to draw any sweeping conclusions from an exhibition game. Still, the first look at Jaylen Brown in a Philadelphia uniform came with plenty to like. Brown was one of only two members of the 76ers’ big five to suit up in the preseason debut, and he made his short run count: 22 points on 8-13 shooting in 17 minutes.
"Everybody knows what JB can do."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 6, 2026
VJ Edgecombe speaks on Jaylen Brown and what he saw from him in his 76ers preseason debut 🗣️
(via @sixers) pic.twitter.com/PmO1lQdiBx
VJ Edgecombe also got in on the action, finishing with 12 points on 4-9 shooting. And beyond the box score, the two looked like they were already getting comfortable with each other.
That’s the part that stands out early for Philadelphia. Brown and Edgecombe came away from the win talking about each other like they’d known one another for a while, and the mutual admiration was hard to miss.
“Everyone know what JB can do. It's building, man. He look great,” Edgecombe said of Brown, via the official 76ers account on X.
Brown returned the favor and then some, not only praising Edgecombe’s game but also the person behind it.
“I love VJ already. That’s one of my favorite people in the world, and we just met.
VJ gonna be great. I'm excited to help him continue to thrive.
Jaylen Brown: “I love VJ, already. That’s one of my favorite people in the world, and we just met.”
— PHLY Sixers (@PHLY_Sixers) October 6, 2026
“His talent level is off the charts.” pic.twitter.com/64iCJjJ8bJ
His talent level is off the charts,” Brown said, via PHLY Sports on X.
For a 76ers team bringing in a lot of new faces and trying to fit several pieces together, that kind of connection matters. There’s still the bigger question of how Philadelphia sorts out the touches among its core, especially with LeBron James coming in and suiting up alongside Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. But if the off-court vibe is already this strong, the on-court fit may come a little easier.
In Other News...
Joel Embiid Got Pulled Into A Strange LeBron Rumor Fast
The 76ers preseason opener briefly turned into an odd side story when broadcaster Mike Breen said he had heard Joel Embiid was a few minutes late to a recent practice and was confronted by LeBron James. It was the kind of stray detail that can take on a life of its own in October, especially when it involves one of the leagues biggest names and a Philadelphia star already under a bright spotlight as the team starts laying groundwork for the season ahead.
LeBron James later shut the report down on social media, saying Embiid had not been late. So the rumor did not linger long, but it still added a strange wrinkle to a night meant to be about the 76ers getting back into game mode. Philadelphia now moves on to the rest of its preseason schedule and, eventually, the start of the 2026-27 regular season with the usual attention on Embiid and everything that follows him. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers May Have A Low-Risk Answer To Their New Frontcourt Problem
The Clippers decision to waive two-way center Jamarion Sharp has put a familiar kind of low-cost big man on the market at exactly the moment the Sixers need one. Philadelphia has an open two-way roster spot, and with Ariel Hukporti injured, frontcourt depth has become a more immediate concern than it was just a few days ago.
Sharp brings a profile the Sixers could find appealing: a 7-foot-5 developmental center with strong defensive numbers in the G League and the sort of rim protection that can at least help stabilize minutes in a pinch. The question now is whether Philadelphia sees enough upside to use that two-way slot on another project, or whether it keeps looking for a more ready-made answer to its frontcourt problem. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Love Is Giving The 76ers A Roster Problem They'd Love
Caleb Love arrived in Philadelphia on a two-way deal, but he has already started making that arrangement feel temporary. After a solid rookie season with the Portland Trail Blazers, where he carved out a real rotation role, Love has carried that momentum into camp and looked like a player who belongs in a bigger conversation. In a recent preseason game, he put up 15 points and added contributions across the board, giving the Sixers another guard option with some two-way versatility.
For a team that is always balancing immediate expectations with long-term roster flexibility, that kind of production creates a good problem. Love has shown enough early to make the Sixers think about whether his role should grow if this keeps up, and whether a standard NBA contract might become the natural next step. For now, Philadelphia gets to keep evaluating, but the early returns are making it harder to treat him like just another depth piece. [Read more 🡒]