Joel Embiid gave the 76ers a small but telling nudge in their season opener against the Knicks, and it led to a lineup wrinkle that could matter later. With Embiid picking up his third foul late in the first half, he was the one who apparently floated the idea of using LeBron James as a nominal center.
That’s the kind of move that jumps off the page because it leaves Embiid out of the five. But it also fits the reality Philly is dealing with right now: thin center depth and a need for Nick Nurse to get creative if the team wants to avoid getting picked apart when Embiid sits.
The 76ers still looked better with Embiid on the floor, and no one is pretending otherwise. He remains the engine. But the opener also showed there may be a small-ball answer worth keeping in the pocket, especially if the team finds itself in foul trouble or late-game situations without its All-Star big man.
James at the 5 is not meant to be a full-time fix, and it shouldn’t be treated like one. Even so, the look has some bite. James is still a powerful forward with the kind of positional flexibility that makes him a weapon, and lineups built around him in that spot could work especially well in a faster tempo.
That kind of setup lines up neatly with Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Jaylen Brown, giving Philly a run-and-gun group that can push the pace and stress defenses in a different way. It’s not the answer to everything, but it is an option.
And that may be the real takeaway here. The 76ers do not need LeBron at center to become their identity.
They do need to know what that group looks like before the season forces their hand. With Embiid still the propeller for the team, Philly also has a more modern, flexible counterpunch waiting in reserve if the moment calls for it.
In Other News...
Sixers Home Opener Brings An Early Test They Should Feel
The 76ers first home game of the season arrives with some real weight behind it. After opening by beating the Knicks 106-100 on ring night in New York, Philadelphia comes back to the city for a matchup with a Cavaliers team that has spent the offseason reshaping itself and talking like a contender. For a Sixers group trying to set an early tone, it is the sort of test that should tell them plenty about where they stand.
Cleveland has not been subtle about its ambitions, making major roster changes and bringing in Donovan Mitchell while also adding James Harden. With LeBron James now in Philadelphia, the Cavaliers are carrying added pressure to turn those moves into something more than paper strength, and the home opener gives the Sixers a chance to measure themselves against a team that expects to be in the championship conversation. It is still early, but this is the kind of game that can start to define how serious a season feels. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Shooting Search Could Put A Familiar Name Back In Play
The Lakers decision to waive Dalton Knecht ahead of the roster deadline has put a familiar shooting option back on the market, and the 76ers are now among the teams reportedly keeping an eye on him. For Philadelphia, the appeal is obvious: a young perimeter scorer who showed enough in his rookie season to suggest he can help, even if his role in Los Angeles faded as the year went on.
The bigger question is timing. The 76ers would need to open a roster spot before making a move, but the possibility of adding Knecht later in the season gives them a straightforward path to a potential shooting upgrade without forcing an immediate decision. For a team still weighing ways to add spacing, that makes this one worth watching as the roster picture settles. [Read more 🡒]
Giannis Gave Heat Fans A Thrill And A Bigger Concern
Opening night offered a little of everything for the early read on the East, and Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered the kind of individual performance that can change the mood around a franchise in a hurry. The Miami Heat may have come up short, but Giannis was the most unavoidable force on the floor, piling up points and making it clear why every opponent still has to plan for him first, even in a game that slips away.
For Philadelphia, the bigger takeaway is less about the Heat's final result and more about what a player like Giannis means if Miami eventually gets the rest of the pieces aligned. The 76ers already had their own opening-night storyline to savor, but any team watching the East has to notice when a star produces at that level in a loss, because nights like this tend to linger as the season starts taking shape. [Read more 🡒]