The Philadelphia 76ers made two moves that changed the shape of their summer in a hurry: first, the trade for Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics, and then the signing of LeBron James.
“LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers for his final run at another NBA championship, he announced Friday," ESPN's Dave McMenamin wrote. "James, 41, is signing a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania."
That kind of aggressive roster building points to a team trying to win right now, but it also leaves room for a very different conversation if the whole thing goes sideways. Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney floated the idea that Joel Embiid could end up being the player Philadelphia moves on from in that scenario.
“Joel Embiid. (Remaining contract: three years, $188 million, player option.)
No, they’re not going to trade Embiid during the season. But they’re probably not going to trade anybody.
If this whole thing is a disaster, though, the possibility of Embiid taking the fall is out there,” Deveney wrote.
Embiid has been in Philadelphia the longest, which matters. Even so, there’s a case that he could be the more movable piece if the team ever needed to reset, especially if his usage keeps trending down.
“Yes, Embiid has still carried massive usage rates over the past two seasons, but he has experienced a noticeable dip from the years beforehand. Embiid's career-low usage rate is 32.9 percent (2019-20), and there is a real chance he drops below that figure in 2026-27,” Philly Voices’ Adam Aaronson wrote.
For now, the Sixers have every reason to feel good about where the roster stands. But Embiid’s injury history has already made him a complicated financial piece, and if Philadelphia ever has to clear space, he’s the name that stands out as the easiest to move.
In Other News...
Sixers May Be Losing Another Young Piece To The Knicks
The Knicks have added forward Igor Milicic on an Exhibit 10 deal ahead of training camp, giving them another low-cost developmental flier to sort through before the season gets underway. For Sixers fans, the name is a familiar one: Milicic spent time with the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphias G League affiliate, and has spent the past few years bouncing through a college career that stretched across three universities.
Exhibit 10 contracts often function as a bridge into a teams developmental pipeline, and that is the lane New York is opening for Milicic now. It also fits the broader reality for Philadelphia, where the Blue Coats have repeatedly served as a staging ground for young talent that other organizations are willing to take a look at when camp season arrives. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Rookie Labaron Philon Already Faces One Tough Rotation Hurdle
Labaron Philon Jr. gave the 76ers enough to like in Summer League, especially on the scoring end, but the early read on the rookie guard is hardly a simple one. Philadelphia has reason to be intrigued by his offensive feel, yet his thin frame stands out in a way that matters for a team trying to compete now, where every rotation spot has to carry weight on both ends.
The cautious part of the evaluation comes from defense, where the coaching staff reportedly wants more proof that Philon can handle the physical demands of the regular season. In a setup like this, upside alone is not usually enough, and a young guard has to show he can stay on the floor without becoming a target. For Philon, the path is clear enough: add strength, tighten the defensive end, and make it harder for the staff to leave him out of the nightly mix. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Final Roster Spot Could Fuel LeBrons Title Push
The 76ers have already reshaped their offseason in a major way, adding Jaylen Brown and bringing in LeBron James on a two-year deal, then further strengthening the rotation with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope after his buyout from Memphis. It is the kind of aggressive roster building that signals a clear push to contend right away, with the front office still showing a willingness to keep tinkering even after the headline moves are done.
Maxi Kleber has emerged as a possible candidate for Philadelphias final roster spot, and the fit is easy to see for a team trying to balance star power with usable depth. The decision on that last opening could matter more than it usually does, since the Sixers are not merely filling out the back end of the roster but shaping the supporting cast around a group built to chase a championship run. [Read more 🡒]