The Sixers are drawing plenty of buzz heading into the 2026-27 season, and two former Philadelphia voices added even more fuel to the conversation this week.
Jaylen Brown spoke with Gordie Jones of Liberty Ballers on Tuesday night and made it clear he sees this new-look roster as something bigger than just another talented group. For Brown, the conversation quickly turned to Joel Embiid.
“Down deep, I’m really happy for Joel,” Brown said. “It’s an opportunity, maybe the last, that he can do what I know down deep he wants to do-and that’s to be remembered as a champion. There’s a side of me that thinks like that as it relates to my old days with Philadelphia, and Joel especially.”
Brown’s connection to Embiid goes back to his time as Philadelphia’s first NBA head coach, when he took over before the 2013-14 season. Their relationship grew over the years, both on and off the floor. Brown was with Embiid the night he learned his brother, Arthur, had died in a truck accident in October 2014, a moment that became part of the foundation of their bond.
On the basketball side, Brown oversaw the Sixers’ climb from a 10-72 finish in 2015-16 to a 52-30 record in 2017-18, which got Philadelphia back to the playoffs for the first time since 2012. He also helped guide Embiid’s rise after the center missed his first two seasons because of a right foot injury. By the end of Brown’s run in Philadelphia, Embiid had earned three All-Star nods and established himself as one of the league’s top big men.
Patrick Beverley also chimed in with praise for the Sixers during an Instagram live on Tuesday, reacting to a workout video featuring Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.
“I just watched that video of Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James and Jaylen Brown working out,” Beverley said. “It's trouble, man.
Belt. Philadelphia Belt. ...
Everybody’s bodies look great, 'Bron still dunking. If we get a little bit of this version with Philly, man, without a doubt.”
Beverley later doubled down on the same theme: “Bro, I just watched that video of Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James, and Jaylen Brown working out. Man, it’s trouble man.
Belt. Philadelphia Belt.
Everybody’s bodies look great, Bron still dunking. If we get a little bit of this version with Philly, man…”
And that’s the point: the Sixers have as much star power as anyone in the NBA. Maxey, Brown, James, Embiid and VJ Edgecombe can all score, and the real question is how smoothly that talent can fit together.
Beverley knows the organization well enough to speak on it from experience. He played 47 games for Philadelphia in 2023-24 as a backup point guard and a steady locker-room presence, putting up 6.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. His stint ended when Embiid’s left knee injury pushed the Sixers into seller mode at the trade deadline, leading to Beverley being dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks for Cameron Payne and two 2027 second-round picks.
Brown and Beverley both saw their time in Philadelphia end early, but their comments say plenty about how much the franchise has changed - and how many NBA alumni would be pulling for the Sixers if this group finishes the job this season.
In Other News...
Kevin Durant Just Weighed In On The Sixers' Biggest Gamble
Kevin Durant is already seeing the appeal of the Sixers latest swing, and he is not shy about where he thinks it can lead. In weighing in on LeBron James joining Philadelphia, Durant called the setup a juggernaut, pointing to the mix of star power, experience and leadership as the kind of foundation that can change a teams outlook quickly.
From Durants perspective, the details matter almost as much as the name on the jersey. He noted that LeBron taking a minimum contract gives the Sixers a rare blend of talent and flexibility, while also giving them the benefit of a championship-winning coach and front office behind it. For Philadelphia, the bigger question now is whether all of those pieces can actually turn promise into the kind of season Durant believes is there to be had. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Fans Have One Big Reason To Still Worry About Boston
The Celtics did not exactly stand still this offseason, even after losing Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia in the deal for Paul George. Boston also added Mitchell Robinson to deepen its center rotation, a move that gives the reigning Eastern Conference power a different kind of frontcourt look as it tries to keep pace at the top of the bracket. For the Sixers, the headline move is obvious, but the bigger takeaway may be how Boston has tried to rework its roster around Jayson Tatum without taking a full step back.
The problem for Philadelphia is that Browns scoring volume is not easy to replace, and the Celtics are betting they can spread that responsibility around while leaning on Georges two-way impact. If that works, Boston could still be a major problem for the Sixers in the East, especially if the new rotation finds its footing quickly. Even after the trade, there is enough talent in place to make Philadelphia wonder whether the path past Boston really got any easier. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Durant Sees One Big Question In LeBron's Sixers Fit
LeBron James arrival on a veteran minimum deal instantly changes the conversation around the 76ers, because Philadelphia now has another marquee name alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown. Kevin Durant was among those taking a close look at the move, praising LeBrons mindset and his willingness to fit into different roles, the kind of flexibility that can make a loaded roster work instead of just looking good on paper.
Durant went a step further by comparing the Sixers depth to the championship Golden State teams he played on in 2017 and 2018, a reminder that star power alone is not always the hardest part to manage. For Philadelphia, the big question is less about whether the talent is there and more about how all those high-scoring pieces are going to mesh once the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]