Joel Embiid is already back in the gym, and he made sure everyone knew it.
The Philadelphia 76ers star posted a photo of himself in uniform getting shots up, paired with a short message that said it all: “Almost That Time!!!”
It’s a simple update, but it lands at a moment when the 76ers are staring at a new chapter. The team is only months away from the start of a season that figures to come with major expectations, especially with LeBron James now part of the mix alongside Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Embiid.
There has been plenty of noise around Embiid’s future because of his injury history, with some calling for Philadelphia to move on from him. Instead, he’s back working and reminding everyone that he remains central to whatever comes next for the franchise.
Embiid has spent 10 seasons with the 76ers. Drafted in 2014, he missed his first two years because of foot injuries before becoming a full-time player in 2016. Since then, he’s built a résumé that includes two scoring titles, seven NBA All-Star selections, and the 2022-23 NBA MVP.
The pressure on him this season will be real. With James and Brown joining the roster, the championship expectations around Philadelphia have only grown.
Almost That Time!!!! pic.twitter.com/NpekhuSbqA
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) August 5, 2026
Last season, the 76ers beat the Boston Celtics in a 3-1 comeback win in the first round before getting swept by the eventual champion New York Knicks in the second round. Embiid also missed part of the end of the regular season after undergoing an appendicitis.
With more than two months still to go before the season begins, Embiid is already back in the lab, getting himself ready for what should be a very different year in Philadelphia.
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Joel Embiid Update Gives 76ers Fans Real Reason For Hope
Joel Embiids summer has apparently gone about as well as the 76ers could have hoped, with Nick Nurse saying the big man is in shape, active and feeling much better as he gets back on the floor and into the weight room. After a season in which Embiid still produced at a high level, averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds, Philadelphias bigger concern was never the production. It was the availability, as he appeared in only 38 regular-season games.
Nurses update matters because the Sixers do not need a reminder of how different the team looks when Embiid is healthy and moving well. For now, the early read on the offseason is encouraging, and that alone gives the organization some badly needed optimism heading toward the new season. The real test, of course, will come once the games start and the grind begins to look a lot more like the one that has challenged Embiid in recent years. [Read more 🡒]
Grant Williams Just Eased A Big 76ers Fear About Jaylen Brown
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For the Sixers, the bigger issue has never just been Browns talent. Its whether the personality and basketball fit would hold up in a new setting, especially with the rumors that have followed him because of his ties to Tatum and the Celtics recent years of title-chasing. Williams comments do not answer every question about a potential move, but they do take some of the edge off the concern that Browns dynamic with a star teammate would be a problem in Philadelphia. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Brown Just Made Sixers-Celtics Feel Even More Personal
Jaylen Browns arrival in Philadelphia already gave the Sixers-Celtics rivalry a sharper edge, and his introductory press conference only added to the intrigue. Brown spoke respectfully about Jayson Tatum, the teammate with whom he won a championship in Boston, while making clear the two have not communicated since the trade that sent him to the 76ers.
For a team trying to reset itself around a star-studded starting lineup, Brown brings both production and baggage in the best possible way. He comes off a season in which he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, and now his move to Philadelphia gives the Sixers another marquee name as they chase a major turnaround next season. [Read more 🡒]