The Sixers have discussed having LeBron James operate as a point forward this season, team sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN but that doesn’t necessarily mean head coach Nick Nurse is locked into having the four-time MVP always be the one bringing the ball up the floor.
“We got several guys that what I would call ‘grab-and-go,’” Nurse said on Thursday. “If they get rebounds and their first advantage is to start pushing it up the floor and it stays that way, then they’re going to do it.”
Still, as the Sixers’ new-look starting five figures out how the ball will be shared among several players who are used to having it in their hands, Nurse views James as a valuable weapon to have on the floor, given how adept he is at creating opportunities for his teammates.
“I just think LeBron, I consider him a great offense creator,” Nurse said. “I don’t necessarily mean scorer, I just think creator and a table setter and all that kind of stuff. … If it isn’t bringing it up and starting (the possession), it’s probably going to be first pass anyway to (him on) the wing and then we get into our actions, and he’s kind of seeing what’s there, and he’s creating offense for others.”
Here’s more on the 76ers:
- After going up against one another as members of the Turkish and German national teams and then as members of the Sixers and Knicks, Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti now find themselves vying for backup center minutes in Philadelphia, writes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Given that they’re teammates now, they’re treating the stakes of this battle a little differently. “People can say ‘battle’ or whatever,” Hukporti said on Thursday. “But when it comes to the end goal, (you’re) coming together as a team and you produce as a team. It don’t matter. It can be me playing five minutes, (Bona) playing 15 minutes. Me playing 25 minutes, him playing 15. … Whoever gets in, gets in. Get the job done. Especially in the playoffs, we need everybody. We need all players.”
- As he acclimates to a new NBA home after spending 10 years in Boston, Jaylen Brown considers it just as important to build “good vibes” with his teammates as to get used to their habits and tendencies on the court, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. “We’re all normal human beings, spending time with each other and just enjoying each other’s presence,” Brown said. “So, I’m looking forward to these moments, the dinners and the team outings. I’m looking forward to getting to know each other, families, backgrounds, wives and kids.” Brown added on Thursday that Tyrese Maxey has helped him feel welcome in Philadelphia, referring to the All-Star guard as a “great leader” and “great host,” per Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.
- He’s the least accomplished player in a lineup that features James, Brown, Maxey, and Joel Embiidbut second-year guard VJ Edgecombe shouldn’t be overlooked, Jones says in another story for The Athletic. The 76ers want Edgecombe to continue to be aggressive offensively, and he’ll likely be tasked with the toughest perimeter defensive assignment on a given night, as Jones details.
- Embiid sat down with ESPN’s Malika Andrews (Twitter video link) to discuss the Sixers’ championship aspirations, the new additions to the roster, and a handful of other topics.