Joel Embiid hasn’t said much publicly about the Jaylen Brown trade, but according to 76ers President Mike Gansey, the reaction behind the scenes has been exactly what Philadelphia wanted to hear.
“He is excited. He is in a really good space right now.
First offseason where he is really healthy going into it,” said Gansey on the ‘Unfiltered’ podcast. “He’s starting to get into shape right now, and starting to ramp up a little bit.
But he is fired up. I called him right after the trade, and he is surprised, but excited.
It will obviously be a big change, but I think they are welcoming it and they’re excited to get the group together.”
That kind of response fits the mood around a franchise that just made a major swing after its second-round loss to the New York Knicks. With Brown now in the fold, Philadelphia is looking ahead to a 2026-27 season that could be built around Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and the newly acquired Finals MVP.
Brown’s arrival has already sparked a wave of buzz inside the organization. Gansey said multiple team members reached out in the first few days after the trade, and Brown is said to be thrilled about the chance to build something of his own after operating in Jayson Tatum’s shadow.
For Embiid, the fit is obvious on paper. The 32-year-old has spent 10 seasons in the NBA and owns career averages of 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.9% from the field and 33.3% from three. He’s a seven-time All-Star and former MVP, but the one stain on his résumé remains the same: he has never gotten past the second round of the playoffs.
Brown changes the equation. As an NBA champion, Finals MVP and two-way force, he gives the 76ers the kind of proven wing star they’ve been hunting for, someone who can lift the floor for everyone around him.
Still, the whole thing comes back to Embiid’s body. Philadelphia can look dangerous on paper, but the season will be defined by whether its center can stay healthy deep into the playoffs.
With his injury history, that’s always been the question. Now, though, he has more reason than ever to get himself right and chase the kind of run that would stick with the fan base.
And the summer may not be finished yet. The 76ers are also being linked to LeBron James, with Philadelphia reportedly a place he views as a path to a satisfying ending. If the team somehow lands both Brown and LeBron in the same offseason, the buzz around Embiid and the 76ers would only grow louder.
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Joel Embiid Just Changed Everything For The 76ers This Summer
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The bigger picture is just as important. The Sixers have already made several roster moves and are trying to position themselves as title contenders for the 2026-27 campaign, but that plan only really works if Embiid gets a full offseason to work on his game and build toward the fall. For a team that has spent so much time managing uncertainty, a healthy summer for its centerpiece is the kind of change that can reshape expectations before training camp even opens. [Read more 🡒]