The Philadelphia 76ers are staring at a schedule and a roster setup that could make the first stretch of the 2026-27 season look a lot bumpier than some fans might expect.
Philadelphia went 1-3 in preseason, and while that record doesn’t mean much on its own, it does line up with the bigger concern: this group may need time before it starts looking like a finished product. The Sixers have plenty of talent, but talent alone doesn’t guarantee a smooth opening month.
For one, the chemistry still has to be built. Head coach Nick Nurse has to sort out how all the pieces fit, and the players themselves need time to get comfortable with one another.
That matters even more when the starting group includes four players used to being major offensive focal points in Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey. There’s going to be sacrifice involved, and with that much star power in one lineup, things could look a little clunky before they look connected.
The fact that the starters didn’t spend a ton of time together in preseason only adds to that concern.
The calendar doesn’t offer much mercy, either. Philadelphia opens on the road against the defending-champion Knicks in New York on their banner night.
In its second game, it gets the Cleveland Cavaliers at home, the same Cavs who fell to the Knicks in last season’s Eastern Conference Finals. The fourth game brings the Detroit Pistons to Philadelphia, and they had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season.
Then, just two games later, the Sixers are back against the Knicks.
That’s a brutal early run for any team, and especially for one still learning itself. New York, Cleveland and Detroit all enter the season with the advantage of continuity, while the Sixers look much different than they did a year ago. That contrast could show up quickly.
Depth at center is another issue. Embiid appears to be as healthy as he’s been in recent memory, which is obviously a major plus.
But the backup options have all been hit hard. Adem Bona missed the entire preseason with a left foot injury.
Dominick Barlow was out all preseason because of a back injury. Tacko Fall sat with a hip strain.
And Ariel Hukporti, whom the Sixers added in free agency this offseason, suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the first preseason game.
Bona, Barlow and Fall are expected back, but early on they may be limited and rusty. That could leave Philadelphia vulnerable in the minutes Embiid sits. There are some possible small-ball answers, though, with James, Jabari Walker and even Dean Wade as options to handle the center spot in those looks.
If the Sixers do stumble out of the gate, it doesn’t have to mean much in the bigger picture. October and early November matter, sure, but this roster is built to be judged later. March, April and May will tell the real story.
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For Philadelphia, it would be another reminder that the front office still has to keep one eye on the waiver wire even as the roster picture settles in. The 76ers have been tied to Cisse as a possible fit if he becomes available, but nothing is official yet, and the situation remains contingent on what Dallas decides. If he does hit the market, the competition for a look could be immediate. [Read more 🡒]