The Philadelphia 76ers are already leaning into the long view.
After opening the season with two wins and remaking the roster over the summer with additions like LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and Anfernee Simons, the 76ers have looked the part of an Eastern Conference contender. But their first real test of the season comes with James out of the lineup tonight against the Bucks, and head coach Nick Nurse said the decision was made as part of a broader plan.
“The medical team, LeBron’s team, and the front office group have been kind of working on that,” said Nurse. “And that’s where they landed.
I’m not sure what’s going to happen tomorrow yet. This is where we are tonight, and we’ll go from there.”
James is not dealing with an injury, but at 41, his workload is being carefully managed. Nurse made it clear the coach wasn’t the one steering the call, and the organization is comfortable with that arrangement. The veteran star is one of several 76ers unavailable tonight, joining Tacko Fall, Dominick Barlow, and Ariel Hukporti on the sideline.
Dean Wade nearly ended up there too. He was listed as questionable before the game, but he was cleared before tip-off after Nurse described the issue as a pain-tolerance matter.
“Pain tolerance, and there’s a little bit of side-to-side stuff that’s been bothering him,” said Nurse. “He has been doing some things on court.”
Even with James out, the 76ers believe they have enough depth to keep rolling, but the challenge is obvious: this group is going to have to live with constant lineup shuffling. Nurse pointed to James’ influence beyond scoring, noting the things that will be hardest to replace.
“Certainly, there will be guys in and out… But the passing’s been great, his leadership and organization,” Nurse added. “Somebody’s gonna have to fill those two things, for sure. His rebounding’s been great, too.”
That reality extends beyond one night. The 76ers are already preparing for a season where continuity may be hard to find, with James expected to sit out some back-to-backs and Joel Embiid, as always, likely to miss stretches as well.
For now, the burden shifts to the players available. Tyrese Maxey has been the engine so far, averaging 30.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 50.0% this season. Jaylen Brown looms as the other major piece, a key two-way wing who will matter even more when the rotation gets thin.
The approach is straightforward: preserve the stars now, keep them fresh later. With James, the 76ers are clearly prioritizing the bigger picture, hoping the careful handling pays off when it matters most in the playoffs.
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