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[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers host Magic in first preseason game back stateside

Following a pair of preseason losses to the New York Knicks in Abu Dhabi, the Sixers are back on home soil and will give Philadelphia fans a firsthand look at the bones of the 2025-26 roster as they host Orlando in the newly cristened Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Although they’ve both participated in portions of practice this week, we do not expect either Joel Embiid or Paul George to take the floor tonight. Hopefully, that’s not a phrase we’ll need to use moving forward nearly as often as last season. Additionally, free-agent signing Trendon Watford also appears to be out after missing practice with a hamstring issue, and second-year guard Jared McCain remains out following thumb surgery.

Meanwhile, the most exciting notion of this preseason slate was getting to watch third overall pick VJ Edgecombe, who looks to be carving out a spot in the starting lineup for himself right out of the gate. However, reporting on Thursday stated the rookie is dealing with left hip soreness, and while it appears to be a minor issue, his status tonight is now up in the air. Given the Sixers’ injury track record with rookies (and everyone for that matter), poor VJ may need a metal plate inserted in his hip any day now.

The other new-ish development of note is the return to a Sixers uniform for Quentin Grimes, who did not travel overseas with the team in the wake of free agent contract negotiations coming down to the wire by way of his qualifying offer deadline. Nick Nurse hinted at using three-guard lineups including Grimes, and honestly, what else is he really to do with the guard depth on the roster? So that’s something to keep an eye on, although with McCain out and Edgecombe maybe joining him on the sidelines, it would appear to be less of a necessity this evening.

On the opposing sideline, tonight is the second preseason game for the Magic, who won, 126-118, Saturday night in Miami. Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner will both be sitting out this contest, listed as day-to-day with knee issues. We will, however, get to see Desmond Bane as part of Orlando’s starting lineup following the offseason trade to bring him over from Memphis for a package including four first-round picks. He scored nine points in just 13 minutes of his Orlando preseason debut. Meanwhile, 25th overall pick Jase Richardson played 24 minutes off the bench against the Heat, scoring 13 points.

The Sixers only have tonight and next Friday night against Minnesota remaining before the season begins in earnest in Beantown. Let’s see how much of tonight looks like dedicated preparation for the regular season, and how much is a true exhibition contest. Either way, hopefully Philadelphia can be on the right side of the scoreboard for the first time this preseason.

Game Details​

When: Friday, October 10, 7:00 pm ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA TV
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...-magic-in-first-preseason-game-back-stateside

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Editor-in-chief mailbag: Joel Embiid plays in Blue x White Scrimmage

This is not Liberty Ballers telling you to do cartwheels over it, but Joel Embiid did participate in the Sixers’ annual Blue x White scrimmage this past Sunday in Delaware.

Sixers have to go quick on a sideline out of bounds… Joel Embiid ends up with an open dunk: pic.twitter.com/hfj5knbsLD

— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) October 12, 2025

Clearly, this was not the intensity of a Game 7, but take the positives where you can get them. Nick Nurse recently said that Embiid has participated in several live, 5-on-5 sessions since the team started practicing — something he did not do at all before the 2024-25 season. Again, don’t map the parade route, but it’s better than the alternative.

Anyways, let’s get to your questions!

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...g-joel-embiid-plays-in-blue-x-white-scrimmage

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

What (and who) ESPN makes of Sixers’ Big 3 is interesting

Well, it certainly can’t be any worse than last year’s Big 3.

Ahead of the upcoming season, ESPN’s Tim Bontempts went around and tiered each team’s core to see how they stack up against each other. Obviously, not every team has a three-star setup — if anything that approach is rapidly aging out of the league — but it was the top three players of each team the article was ranking.

What tier the Sixers fell in wasn’t surprising, but the Big 3 Bontempts chose for them was. Philadelphia was put in the seventh out of 10 tiers. It was one called “changing course,” and the only team they share it with is the Memphis Grizzlies. That certainly feels like the right spot for both of those franchises, as they each could be pivoting away from the stars they’ve built their team around for the last half decade in Joel Embiid and Ja Morant.

The Sixers’ Big 3 that got tiered for this year though was not their Big 3 they went into last season hoping to win a title with. Next to Embiid and Tyrese Maxey was not Paul George, but the most recent third overall pick, VJ Edgecombe.

It is hard to tell if this is more about belief in Edgecombe, and how impactful he could be right away, or if it’s just a reflection of how much George’s stock has dropped in the last year. Bontempts correctly pointed out that the availability of both George and Embiid are major question marks, but Embiid was still listed on the core despite his health being the less reliable of the two and perhaps a scarier long term outlook.

This would hardly be the first list that moved George down quite a bit from where he normally stands as a top player in the league. In ESPN’s top 100 players list, he plummeted 33 spots from the previous year’s ranking, going from 21 in 2024 to 54 in 2025.

The glass half full look at this though is that the Sixers are not just excited about what Edgecombe can become, but have hopes that he can meaningfully contribute from day 1. From how Nick Nurse has talked about him in preseason so far, it sounds like he will be a prominent member of the rotation on opening night, perhaps even in the starting lineup.

Tier lists and rankings are certainly not gospel, but the Sixers certainly didn’t imagine this is where their core would line up when they made their big splashes in the 2024 offseason.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...who-espn-makes-of-sixers-big-3-is-interesting

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers announce signing of MarJon Beauchamp

The Sixers have made another move as they’ve signed MarJon Beauchamp right before the end of the preseason. It is an Exhibit 10 deal, a source tells Liberty Ballers. In a related move, the team announced that they have waived Emoni Bates.

MarJon Beauchamp has been officially signed while Emoni Bates has been waived #Sixers pic.twitter.com/NVeN63xhGu

— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) October 15, 2025

The possibility of this move was first reported a few days ago by Keith Pompey of the Inquirer. Beauchamp had just been signed and quickly waived by the Portland Trail Blazers.

Beauchamp was a late first-round pick for the Milwaukee Bucks back in 2022, where he spent the first two seasons of his career on the fringes of their rotation. Averaging 13 minutes a night, he went for 4.8 points per game on 43.3%/35.5%/70.8% shooting splits. He also tallied 2.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists in that time.

He was pretty much entirely out of the rotation by his third season, getting just 4.5 minutes a night. At last year’s trade deadline, he ended up getting sent to the Clippers in a deal that acquired Kevin Porter Jr. He appeared in just three games for LA before being waived. He was able to finish the season on a two-way contract with the Knicks, appearing in six games for them.

With only one game left in the preseason for the Sixers, this move would seem to show that they’re interested in taking a flyer on him with the Delaware Blue Coats. The former first-rounder should get good opportunity to showcase his talent there. Sixers fans could get their first extended look at him Friday against the Timberwolves.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76ers-news/79053/sixers-announce-signing-of-marjon-beauchamp

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Will the Sixers’ throwback nostalgia play work on fans?

Break out your copy of Pokémon Silver, grab that DVD of The Matrix from your parents’ basement and get ready for a dancing, slam-dunkin’ rabbit because the early 2000s are back in Philadelphia. The Sixers had previously announced that they were bringing back their classic Allen Iverson-era black uniforms in honor of the 25th anniversary of the franchise’s 2001 Eastern Conference Finals champion team. On Monday evening, news broke that this season would see the return of beloved mascot Hip-Hop for select games this year in conjunction with this overall throwback play.

Is it too little too late for this nostalgia bait when people are more out on the Sixers than have been in over a decade?

If this was five years ago, for the 20th anniversary of the 2001 squad and the organization did this major throwback initiative rather than the “New Philadelphia” catastrophe, it would’ve been the coolest thing ever. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons would’ve been the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference while sporting the sleekest look in the league. Maybe those black uniforms could’ve even helped them overcome their historic collapses in the second round against the Hawks (okay, well, maybe not…). Still. The timing was perfect.

Now? Eh. It feels like an attempt to capitalize on nostalgia when fan interest is at its nadir. The Sixers were once the most important entity in my life. I didn’t attend a game from the stands last season for the first time in 20-plus years. Sad stuff. It’s great for younger fans who never got to experience a whacky mascot or those uniforms that Iverson made iconic, but I’m sitting here wondering, is this less about doing something cool for the sake of it being cool and more so just trying to extra some quick bucks from my wallet?

I mean, it’ll probably work, at least on me. I was born in the mid-1990s. I still listen to The Strokes and 50 Cent and wear a black Dikembe Mutombo jersey every summer down the shore. My fellow millennials and I have just aged into the consumer class. It’s akin to the way we go to the grocery store now and hear a Ja Rule hit or a song by The Killers and think, “Oh, wow! They started playing good music in here!” No, you idiot. They always play music a generation-or-so behind in these public spaces because they want to attract schmucks like us who have cash to spend.

As James Earl Jones’ Terence Mann so eloquently stated in Field of Dreams, “For it is money they have and peace that they lack.”

Whatever.

I have greatly soured on having to watch the same ol’, same ol’ when it comes to the team’s stars, but, like a fool who just wants to feel the freedom of my youth once more, even if it’s just for a fleeting moment, I will probably lose my mind seeing VJ Edgecombe throw down a wild dunk in these bad boys while Hip-Hop goes berserk. Congrats, Sixers. You’ve won against this badly beaten down fan.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...play-work-on-fans-black-jerseys-allen-iverson

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers practice notebook: PG plays 3-on-3, McCain speaks

We’re officially one week away from the Sixers opening the regular season in Boston against the Celtics.

But we still don’t know a whole lot about what the 2025-26 Sixers will look like to start the campaign.

Rotation players like Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Adem Bona should be out there. Veterans Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry, along with two-way guys Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker and rookie Johni Broome, should be available. Jared McCain will not be. It doesn’t sound like Trendon Watford will be either.

The two biggest question marks are Joel Embiid and Paul George.

Same as it ever was, a great poet once said.

The good news is both Embiid and George participated in most of practice Wednesday, according to the team. Especially notable for George is that he participated in 3-on-3, full-court, which marks the first time he’s been involved in live sessions. Embiid participated in those sessions as well.

Dare we say, things are trending in a positive direction?

“I don’t know, I thought he looked really good,” Nick Nurse said of George. “For live practice one, and the pace he was going, I think it was a challenge conditioning-wise and some of those things, but he looked good, played through it. You still see this like incredible shotmaker. You see it. I think he was moving very well. He didn’t seem tentative to me. … Positive steps from him today.”

On Tuesday, Nurse didn’t rule out the possibility of Embiid suiting up for the final preseason game Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. On Wednesday, he said the plan is to play his regulars. How much is still left to be determined.

The fact that we’re even in a world where there’s a chance Embiid and/or George could play on opening night is …. something. We’ll see what happens over the next week.

McCain speaks​

As mentioned, we already know McCain will miss the start of his second NBA season because of surgery on the UCL in his right thumb. This after the dynamic guard’s rookie season was cut to just 23 games because of a torn meniscus. It’s been a tough 10 months or so for the charismatic 21-year-old.

He spoke to reporters on Wednesday for the first time since his injury occurred. He mentioned how it happened — a freak play where he was tagging a roller and got his thumb caught. He said he basically knew right away something was wrong. He got the results of his MRI on his way home from the practice facility and said he had to pull his car over. He called his mom and his psychologist through tears.

“The universe is throwing haymakers at me,” he said Wednesday. “It’s all a part of the process, I got to just continue to trust. It happens for a reason.”

To no one’s surprise, the 21-year-old is itching to get back out on the floor and join a backcourt loaded with talent.

“Being able to play off other guards is just something I’ve been able to do my whole life,” McCain said. “So I’m excited to just finally get back out there and play with them.”

McCain was an infusion of life both on and off the court for a team going through a nightmarish season last year. While the team would prefer to have him out on the floor and playing games, he’s still around the team as much as possible.

Though he’s still another two weeks away from being reevaluated, McCain has been doing on-court work using only his left hand and has been able to keep his conditioning up. Whenever he’s healthy enough to play, he’ll be ready.

“All I know is I get here pretty early in the morning and he’s usually already out on the floor doing something,” Nurse said. “And he’s continuing to have this ‘I’m not going to be denied’ attitude.”

Beauchamp arrives​

The Sixers announced the signing of MarJon Beauchamp on Tuesday night. It’s an Exhibit 10 deal, a source tells Liberty Ballers, so expect the young wing to spend a great deal of time in Delaware with the Blue Coats.

Beauchamp is an interesting lottery ticket. He was a first-round pick of the Bucks in 2022 after playing for the now-defunct G League Ignite. After two-plus seasons in Milwaukee, Beauchamp had stints with the LA Clippers and New York Knicks to close out the 2024-25 season. He turned 25 years old this past Sunday and has intriguing athletic tools and length, with a wingspan over 7-feet.

So, what does he believe he could bring to the Sixers?

“I feel like I just bring good energy,” Beauchamp said. “My length, athleticism, I can shoot the ball, run out in transition and just play fast.”

Certainly fits the “younger and more dynamic” criteria. It’s worth noting that Beauchamp played under Adrian Griffin for a bit during his rookie year. Griffin was one of Nurse’s top assistants with the Toronto Raptors.

One thing this organization has done well in recent years is find guys on the margins. Perhaps Beauchamp fits into that category.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...s-3-on-3-jared-mccain-speaks-marjon-beauchamp

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Editor-in-chief mailbag: What’s the deal with Joel Embiid?

It comes as no surprise that most of your questions revolved around Joel Embiid. He’s a former MVP and one of the best players on the planet when healthy. His ability or inability to play could change the entire course of the Sixers’ season.

He was able to participate on a limited basis at practice Tuesday, which was planned, according to the team. He did live 3-on-3 work Wednesday. Head coach Nick Nurse also could not rule out Embiid possibly playing in the team’s preseason finale on Friday.

Let’s get into your questions. (You also all just had a lot of comments, which is also great! Keep the discourse going.)

It’s likely not an accident that the Sixers haven’t uttered the phrase “ramp up” at all to start the 2025-26 season. A popular sort of alternative for Nurse has been “thresholds.” It’s all semantics.

The Sixers are in such a weird place. Anyone who confidently predicts them to be good or bad is telling on themselves. Most folks (myself included) have them hovering around .500 this season, largely because we don’t know so much. If things go right, they could make a little noise in the East. If things go wrong, they could be tanking to keep their top-four protected pick. The middle of those feels like the most probable outcome.

One important lesson I’ve learned as far as fans and expectations: I don’t gatekeep fandom. Feel how you feel. If you’re the type who wants to think of the best possible outcome and just enjoy the ups and downs of the season, great. If you like to prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario so you won’t be crushed by disappointment, also very fair. I would just say: Embiid and Paul George even potentially being ready for the season opener is better than the alternative.

About the idea of it being “the year,” I do get what you’re saying. Like if Embiid and PG can play 50ish games and be relatively healthy for the postseason, this could be their last crack at winning something meaningful. My sincere hope is that if the team is showing signs of life around the deadline, the front office makes a meaningful addition or two. Shedding salary to duck the tax during Embiid’s age-31 season and George’s age-35 season would be a massive, massive disappointment.

At this point, it looks like all systems go for VJ Edgecombe. My feeling is the hip issue wasn’t a big deal, but the team decided to take precautions over him playing a meaningless preseason game, much like they did with his hand issue during summer league. (Hey, maybe they’re learning!) I would be very surprised if Edgecombe isn’t in the starting lineup on opening night.

George was able to participate in live 3-on-3, full-court reps at practice Wednesday. Nurse said he looked good and when the team has done its post-practice 1-on-1s that have been open to the media, George has looked healthy and fluid. Maybe he’s not ready for opening night, but I don’t think he’s that far off … to the point where I wouldn’t close the door on him suiting up for the opener.

Obviously, Jared McCain will miss the beginning of the season, but he shouldn’t miss a ton of time. Trendon Watford is still dealing with hamstring tightness. It doesn’t sound like he’s particularly close to returning — which is a shame because it seemed like this could’ve been a big opportunity for him. Perhaps two-way signee Dominick Barlow will take advantage of the open minutes at the four.

For the opener, I would not be surprised if the Sixers have close to their full complement of rotation players. McCain is out. It seems like Watford will be. George might not play in Boston, but he isn’t far off. Beyond that, the only question mark is Embiid, who I believe is trending towards being available.

Think I’ve answered a variation of this question before, but I’ll answer again for folks who might’ve missed it.

Kyle Lowry is basically this team’s Udonis Haslem. He’s here to help guys like Maxey, McCain and Edgecombe while being a culture-setter. I think he plays sparingly this season and is never a regular part of the rotation.

Eric Gordon is here for similar reasons, but his shooting could help this team at some point. Look how much the Sixers struggled shooting in Abu Dhabi. They could use a guy like Gordon to help space the floor, especially while McCain is out. I know it went largely unseen because last season was terrible, but Maxey’s best stretch last season (in which he was genuinely awesome) occurred while sharing the backcourt with Gordon. That spacing could be necessary, but again, I do not foresee Gordon as a regular rotation player.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...chief-mailbag-whats-the-deal-with-joel-embiid

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers practice notebook: PG plays 5-on-5; who plays in preseason finale?

The Sixers will play their final preseason game Friday at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After that, it’s time for opening night in Boston against the Celtics next Wednesday.

The injury updates from Thursday’s practice were mostly positive:

• Joel Embiid did not participate, but it was a planned day off, per the team. Nick Nurse still did not rule Embiid out of the preseason finale. We’ll know more about his status Friday afternoon or evening.
• Paul George took part in live 5-on-5 sessions a day after participating in live 3-on-3 action on Wednesday. It does not sound like George will play Friday, but it also doesn’t seem like the door is entirely shut on him playing the regular-season opener. “Yesterday was his first day live and … today was a short amount of 5-on-5, so we just have to keep waiting,” Nurse said.
• Trendon Watford still seems a bit away from being ready to play while dealing with hamstring tightness.
• Jared McCain remains out after UCL surgery. He’ll be reevaluated in roughly two weeks.
• All other Sixers players should be available Friday night — including Quentin Grimes, who has yet to play a preseason game, and VJ Edgecombe, who missed the team’s preseason home opener last week.

No matter if Embiid plays or not, Nurse is looking to get his available regulars as much time as possible.

“We need to get … the main guys playing as long and as much together as we can tomorrow,” Nurse said. “That would be goal No. 1. Not quite sure how that’s going to look yet until probably the pregame presser tomorrow.“

It will also be hard to put too much stock into who starts Friday. Will Nurse prefer a traditional lineup with someone like Dominick Barlow at the 4? Will he use three guards? Could he maybe even use four with Kelly Oubre Jr. seeing time at the 4? It’s all going to be fluid because the team’s situation is fluid in general.

Something worth keeping an eye on — there’s been a lot made of the team’s new offense, which should feature more ball and player movement. How Embiid adapts to a more equal-opportunity offensive approach will be worth monitoring if he plays Friday and beyond.

One last note: it does seem like the vibes are fairly high heading into the regular season:

It appears Adem Bona didn’t fulfill his (ongoing) rookie duties — which resulted in his tire being removed and popcorn being filled in his car.

Vibes seem great with the Sixers!

pic.twitter.com/50UyD3ziid

— Harrison Grimm (@Harrison_Grimm) October 16, 2025

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...ge-plays-5-on-5-who-plays-in-preseason-finale

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Joel Embiid cleared to play in Sixers preseason finale hosting Timberwolves

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

UPDATE, Oct. 17, 11:30 a.m. ET: Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid has been cleared to participate in the team’s preseason finale on Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

NBA insider Chris Haynes posted the initial report to social media on Friday morning, citing league sources.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid (knee) has been cleared to make his preseason debut tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves, league sources tell me. https://t.co/JkCtM3B8LP

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 17, 2025

This will be the first preseason action Embiid has seen since 2023.

---

Oct. 16:

It’s almost time for some real basketball!

But first, one more preseason bout. The Philadelphia 76ers will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday evening at Xfinity Mobile Arena in the team’s preseason finale. As exhibition games come to a close, most of the focus is on the status of the Sixers’ players and who is ready for the regular season to get underway, so let’s dig into that.

Joel Embiid did not participate in the team’s practice on Thursday, but that was a planned day off for the center, per the team. Whether he will play Friday night in the preseason finale will be determined day-of, according to Sixers head coach Nick Nurse.

“I think we’ll know tomorrow,” Nurse said at practice Thursday. “I mean, I think there’s still that same chance that he will, but we’ll know tomorrow.”

Paul George also continues to progress in his injury recovery, participating in live 5-on-5 action for the first time at Thursday’s practice after participating in 3-on-3 Wednesday. Nurse was not definitive on George’s prospective status for Friday night nor next week’s season opener, but it did sound like PG is not quite at the point yet where they expect him to play in the preseason finale.

Shams:

"I've been talking to people in Paul George's camp and I'm told that it is not expected that he will be suiting up for opening night…he is making significant progress (on his knee rehab) and a return to debut should be shortly into the regular season" pic.twitter.com/cSjJkMs2ko

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) October 16, 2025

“Yesterday was his first day live and … today was a short amount of 5-on-5, so we just have to keep waiting,” Nurse said on Thursday.

ESPN’s Shams Charania has put out a report apparently from “people in Paul George’s camp” that the forward is not expected to be suiting up for the Sixers’ regular season opening night on Oct. 22 when they take on the Boston Celtics. Whether or not that turns out to be true, we just have to keep waiting… like Nurse said.

Charania also reported that the team is “hopeful” for Embiid to be ready for both the preseason finale and the team’s regular season opener.

(Yes… I’d assume the team is hopeful for that. Not sure what information this report is supposed to add, for whatever it’s worth.)

Moving on to the rest of the team, Jared McCain (UCL surgery) remains out and Trendon Watford (hamstring tightness) is still seemingly a bit away from being ready to play. That being said, everyone else — including Quentin Grimes and VJ Edgecombe — are expected to be available as of time of writing.

“We need to get … the main guys playing as long and as much together as we can [Friday],” Nurse said. “That would be goal No. 1. Not quite sure how that’s going to look yet until probably the pregame presser [Friday].”

How that ends up actually coming together, we will just have to wait and see. We will keep you posted as more definitive information on player availability for the finale becomes available.

Ready or not, it’s time to wrap up the 2025-26 preseason. The Sixers and Timberwolves will tip off in South Philadelphia at 7 p.m. ET.

Game Details​

When: Friday, October 17, 7:00 pm ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA TV
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...on-joel-embiid-paul-george-vj-edgecombe-nurse

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: Embiid, Grimes in midseason form, Maxey-Edgecombe duo takes off

For the first time since February, Joel Embiid played a basketball game. Sure, it was only preseason, but given how miserable the last calendar year has been for this franchise and fanbase, it’s something.

Led by Embiid and a dynamic guard trio, the Sixers took down the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-110 for their only preseason win Friday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Timberwolves sat most of their regulars after a rare preseason back-to-back (why?), but there were still plenty of positives to take away.

Paul George, Jared McCain, Trendon Watford and Kyle Lowry remained inactive.

The next one is for real as the Sixers will head up to Boston next Wednesday to take on the Celtics in the season opener.

Until then, let’s get to Bell Ringer.

Joel Embiid: 14 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, 3 steals (18 minutes)

Embiid played around 18 minutes and left the game healthy. That alone is great news. He also looked pretty good.

The former MVP wasn’t playing full throttle — nor should he for so many reasons — but he had several impressive moments. There was a lot made of Nick Nurse’s new offense and how Embiid would adapt to a more equal-opportunity system. Well, he had eight assists in 18 minutes. It appears he’ll do OK.

almost forgot to post this @vj_edgecombe dunk: pic.twitter.com/O0TcIqmm2T

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 17, 2025

Embiid’s drives to the rim were encouraging, including a strong coast-to-coast finish late in the first half.

coast to coast. pic.twitter.com/J2ba0TjG35

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 18, 2025

There was a scary moment … because of course there was. Towards the end of his second half stint, Embiid drove hard to the basket. Unfortunately, Leonard Miller was waiting to take a charge — a bold move, even against a slimmed down Embiid. Embiid was on the floor for a moment and got up awkwardly. He was able to get up under his own power and jog back down the other end. He checked out soon after, but it was his time to come out.

Again, he came out of the game feeling healthy. That’s a huge win.

Tyrese Maxey: 27 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block

Tyrese Maxey might be the safest bet to have a bounce-back season in 2025-26. He followed up a strong (albeit brief) showing against the Orlando Magic last Friday with another against the Timberwolves.

What stood out most was how often Maxey played off the ball while rookie VJ Edgecombe played some point guard (more on that below). Utilizing Maxey’s speed and shooting in off-ball reps could unlock something with the team’s entire offense.

That and his two-man game with Embiid will work. Maxey had seven assists on the night. Though the play below wasn’t an assist, the gravity created by the Maxey-Embiid two-man game led to a wide open look.

three ball on display. pic.twitter.com/0mee4Gopow

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 18, 2025

VJ Edgecombe: 26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 assists

A bold prediction: VJ Edgecombe is going to be good.

The rookie was everywhere Friday night. He played the passing lanes, got out on the break, finished at the rim, made threes — you name it, he did it.

Edgecombe looked like the best player on the floor at the end of the third and start of the fourth. He produced several highlight-reel plays had nearly a handful more.

VJ beats the buzzer! pic.twitter.com/m3gm0CyUQo

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 18, 2025

As mentioned, Edgecombe has assumed point guard duties throughout the preseason. It’s been a pleasant surprise to see him take those responsibilities and run with them. Even Nurse postgame said Edgecombe is so far ahead of where he anticipated the rookie would be.

You also saw the potential of this Maxey-Edgecombe backcourt. As a duo, there might not be a faster backcourt in the NBA. They routinely got out on the break and found opportunities. It’s easy to see how they’ll be able to complement each other this season.

How good will Edgecombe as a rookie? We’ll see. What we know for sure is he’s going to be a lot of fun to watch.

Quentin Grimes: 22 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 steals

Some fans might’ve soured on Grimes after the offseason drama surrounding his restricted free agency, but he reminded everyone on Friday that he can play. Nurse has raved about the shape Grimes kept himself in and, after shaking off a bit of rust early, Grimes started to assert himself.

Grime Time pic.twitter.com/xQc9GNJadO

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 18, 2025

While Grimes displayed much of the offensive skillset he showed with the Sixers last season, his defense might’ve stood out even more. He routinely walled off Minnesota’s guards and is a difficult player to screen.

The Sixers have an embarrassment of riches at the guard position.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...-form-tyrese-maxey-vj-edgecombe-duo-takes-off

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

3 takeaways from Sixers’ preseason finale vs. T-Wolves

Let’s get the qualifiers out of the way before we begin: yes, it was the preseason, and yes, the Timberwolves played mostly deep reserves.

Still, there were plenty of encouraging signs ahead of the Sixers’ regular season opener next Wednesday in Boston.

Here are three big takeaways.

Processing​

Joel Embiid played basketball for the first time since February. He said postgame he felt good. Everything else is gravy.

And here is the gravy: Embiid probably looked better Friday night than he did at almost any point during the 2024-25 season. Even from a mental standpoint, he appeared to be playing free and happy. No, it wasn’t Game 7-level intensity, but it was something.

Embiid’s mere presence does so much for this basketball team. Everyone plays better because of his gravity and two-way play. What’s maybe been most noticeable from being around the team is how Embiid’s attitude and energy have seemed to give the team a jolt. Last year was miserable for Embiid and, therefore, miserable for the Sixers. He’s come into this year seeming at peace. He’s smiling and engaging with his teammates more.

It’s made all the difference for him and the team.

“I don’t really want to think about the past,” Embiid said. “I’m just in a good space mentally, physically. … First of all, I’m just happy to touch a basketball — to be able to play basketball and do what I love. When you don’t get that, it’s tough.”

“I think the biggest thing I felt was his joy,” Tyrese Maxey said. “Just like how happy he was to be back out there and how happy I was for him to be there.“

He finished the night with 14 points, eight assists (more on that in a bit), seven rebounds and three steals in under 19 minutes of action. He looked like himself. More importantly, it seems like he feels like himself.

We even got a little Tr-oel to close the night. In case you missed it, The Ringer left Embiid off its top-100 player list. It’s absurd. We can all acknowledge it’s absurd.

Embiid had fun with it.

“According to a lot of your peers, I’m not even a top-100 basketball player in this league,” Embiid deadpanned. “So I guess I’ve got to just fit in and see where I can help the team win basketball games.”

Yep.

Are we sure he’s a rookie?​

Daryl Morey and the Sixers’ front office have made mistakes, but their draft record here has been strong.

With the opportunity to draft as high as No. 3 — something Morey has never gotten to do — it wouldn’t be a surprise to see VJ Edgecombe turn out to be a fantastic pick. Through training camp and three preseason games, the 20-year-old has done nothing to suggest otherwise.

On Friday, he was everywhere. He collected five steals and was a threat to run in transition on seemingly every play. Yet he still was active on the glass with six rebounds (four offensive). All of that activity led to 26 points, the bulk of which came during an extremely entertaining stretch from the end of the third quarter to the beginning of the fourth.

The points are great, but what makes Edgecombe so intriguing as a rookie is that he can already do so many little things. He comes to the league as a winning basketball player.

But wait, that’s not all.

Edgecombe has also been running the point, both with Tyrese Maxey on the floor and off. In college, Edgecombe played mostly off the ball, with draft experts wondering how much success he’d have at the next level as an on-ball player.

Suffice to say, he’s already quelling those concerns.

“I think we thought, ‘OK, maybe he can play on the ball some,’” Nick Nurse said, “and were talking about, ‘let’s do it in summer league,’ but where we’re at, I think he’s way ahead of where we thought he might be being able to do that. And again, I think it gives those guys some pressure relief — Tyrese not having to bring the ball up all the time. …

“And the other thing — VJ does a heck of a job of organizing them. Like that’s a hard part of being the point guard or bringing the ball up. He’s calling the plays and moving people around, getting us in our sets and stuff, which again, is great to see. He’s got a good feel for the game.”

One of the more encouraging trends for the Sixers in recent years is bringing in hard-working players with great attitudes and maturity. It started with Maxey. Guys like Jared McCain and (starting power forward?) Adem Bona also fit that mold.

Edgecombe fits right in.

“I just watch basketball all day,” Edgecombe said. “I’m not even watching like a Netflix show or nothing. I just need to go on YouTube to watch basketball or just finding basketball to watch, watching games.”

Great guard play = Great offense​

The Sixers have featured some dynamic guards in the Embiid era. Ben Simmons, James Harden and Maxey stand out in that regard. But never has this franchise assembled a backcourt group like the current one. The quartet of Maxey, Edgecombe, McCain and Quentin Grimes has a chance to be legitimately special.

While much has been made of Nurse’s more equal-opportunity offense, the biggest reason it all could work is the team’s guard play. The ability to play fast and play more of a drive-and-kick style fits in nicely with the current NBA. The Sixers have an intriguing combination of offensive playmakers and dynamic athletes to make it all work.

“I think guys are getting off the ball and trying to make plays for others,” Maxey said.

As mentioned, Embiid had eight assists. If you’ll recall, before suffering a torn meniscus in January of 2024, the reigning MVP at the time was playing at a ridiculously high level. In 39 games, he averaged 34.7 points (more than a point per minute), but even more impressively, he averaged 5.6 assists. Nurse made tweaks to the offense then as well to make up for the absence of Harden.

Again, they weren’t facing a real NBA team Friday, but the ball was moving and they were creating shots. Those are things that should translate, even against good teams.

“The way I’ve always wanted to play is everybody’s touching the ball, keep the ball moving side to side — people getting off the ball and just playing together,” Embiid said. “It feels like so far [and tonight], that’s the way it was, everybody touching the ball. … That’s how I want to play. Keeps everybody happy and everybody involved. It’s fun playing that way.”

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...n-finale-vs-t-wolves-joel-embiid-vj-edgecombe

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Where Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George landed in Top 100 NBA rankings

With the start of the 2025-26 NBA season just around the corner, every major media website is publishing their list of the top 100 NBA players. ESPN dropped its rankings at the end of September, while CBS Sports, The Ringer and Bleacher Report published theirs this week.

Only three members of the Sixers made an appearance on any of those lists, and two of those three had a notable fall from grace.

Joel Embiid​

The Ringer: N/A
Bleacher Report: 26
CBS Sports: 26
ESPN: 47

Let’s start with the big fella, who was a consensus top-10 player heading into last season. After an injury-ravaged year in which he played only 19 games, he fell out of The Ringer’s top 100 entirely. (Don’t kink-shame The Ringer for its love of rage-baiting Philly fans.)

The uncertainty about Embiid’s health is what caused him to plummet across these rankings. If everyone knew that Embiid would play 60-plus games while looking anything like his pre-January 2024 self, he’d likely be at least in the top 15 leaguewide, if not higher. Embiid acknowledged at media day that he’s planning to “listen to the body” this year and that it’ll be “unpredictable at times,” although the skepticism about his outlook might be slightly overboard.

Embiid has practiced regularly and even played in the Sixers’ preseason finale. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said “the idea that he could come back before Paul George was not something I expected…but I think the Sixers could have him at the beginning of the season next week.”

If Embiid can stay relatively healthy this season, these rankings will look comically low in retrospect. The Process himself was already cracking jokes about his rankings after Friday’s game.

“According to a lot of your peers, I’m not even a top-100 basketball player in this league,” Embiid deadpanned to reporters. “So I guess I’ve got to just fit in & see where I can help the team win basketball games.”

Tyrese Maxey​

The Ringer: 33
Bleacher Report: 31
CBS Sports: 21
ESPN: 28

Tyrese Maxey was the lone member of the Sixers’ Big Three whose stock didn’t crater last season. Although his shooting efficiency plummeted in the absence of Embiid and Paul George, he wound up averaging a career-high 26.3 points per game despite commanding more defensive attention than either he or the Sixers anticipated heading into the year.

Brad Botkin of CBS Sports noted that Maxey is one of only six players to average at least 26 points and six assists across the past two seasons, joining Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić and Jalen Brunson. If he can bump his shooting percentages back up this season, he’ll firmly establish himself as one of the NBA’s most incandescent young stars.

Head coach Nick Nurse has repeatedly stressed how he hopes to get Maxey more off the ball this season to leverage his speed. The additions of Jared McCain, Quentin Grimes and VJ Edgecombe to the Sixers’ backcourt over the past 18 months could unlock the best version of Maxey yet.

Paul George​

The Ringer: 71
Bleacher Report: 52
CBS Sports: 43
ESPN: 54

When the Sixers signed George to a four-year, $211.6 million max contract last offseason, we knew the end of that deal might age poorly. No one expected it to start as poorly as it did, though. He plummeted from a top-25-ish player at the start of last season to a fringe top-50 player this year. (The Ringer is far lower on him than the other three outlets, because of course it is.)

Injuries wrecked George’s debut campaign in Philadelphia, and his second season is off to an inauspicious start. He suffered a left knee injury during an offseason workout that required an arthroscopic procedure and likely won’t be ready for opening night. He just participated in 3-on-3s in practice Wednesday, which was his first live action of training camp/the preseason. He was able to do 5-on-5 live sessions the following day.

With that said… much like Embiid, it’s fair to wonder whether the pendulum of opinion about George has swung too far in the opposite direction. He was a massive disappointment last season, but he also tried to play through knee, finger and groin injuries before finally getting shut down at the beginning of March. If he stays healthier this year, who’s to say he can’t have a bounce-back season?

George was also overtaxed in his role last year with Embiid in and out of the lineup. If Embiid stays healthier, it’ll have a domino effect on the rest of the roster, and George could be one of the primary beneficiaries.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Salary Swish and salary-cap information via RealGM.

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Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...nd-paul-george-landed-in-top-100-nba-rankings