Labaron Philon Jr. may not be the loudest name in the 76ers’ preseason mix, but his passing has started to stand out in a roster that badly needs it.
Philadelphia is short on natural playmakers beyond a couple of obvious options. LeBron James’ basketball IQ makes him the cleanest fit to run the offense, and Tyrese Maxey has taken real steps forward in that area.
Even so, Nick Nurse does not have many other reliable floor generals to lean on. That is why Philon Jr.’s early flashes have mattered.
The rookie’s path in Philadelphia is complicated by the talent already around him. He is not expected to carve out a huge rotation role right away, and veterans like LeBron, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown should help speed along his development. Still, his first NBA season may be more demanding than casual observers expect.
Preseason has also opened the door a little wider. With the Sixers limiting their starters’ minutes, young players have had room to make their case.
Philon Jr. has not produced a jaw-dropping breakout, but his feel for the game has been hard to miss. The clearest example came in Philadelphia’s 144-106 loss to the Boston Celtics, when he logged 25 minutes and finished with 14 points, 7 assists, and just 2 turnovers.
That kind of line won’t put him on the same level of hype as VJ Edgecombe, and it shouldn’t. Philadelphia took Philon Jr. with the 22nd overall pick in 2026 for a reason, and at 20 years old, he is still very much a work in progress. But the Sixers’ shortage of playmaking depth may force his hand sooner than expected.
The bigger picture matters here too. There is still no clear answer on who will actually steer this offense.
LeBron’s passing vision and championship resume make him the most likely choice in Nick Nurse’s eyes, and if that happens, Tyrese Maxey can spend more time doing what he does best: cutting, moving without the ball, and knocking down spot-up looks. Without dependable help behind that, though, Maxey could again end up carrying far too much of the load.
That is where Philon Jr. comes in. If he can continue developing as a steady bench distributor, it would give Maxey room to play more naturally and bring some stability to the second unit. The rookie may not be ready to become Philadelphia’s main backup ball handler just yet, but the roster may not leave him much choice.
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Sixers Are Running Out Of Time To Get Two Key Pieces Ready
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Bona is working back from a foot injury, while Simons is dealing with a hamstring issue, and both were listed as partial participants in Mondays training camp session. The hope inside the team is still to get one last preseason look at them, whether that comes in the final exhibition or simply in time for the regular-season opener, but the clock is starting to shrink. [Read more 🡒]