Joel Embiid’s improved health has been beneficial for the Sixers as they prepare for the start of the season, Chris Hine of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes in a subscriber-only piece. Embiid has been fully available since the start of training camp, allowing coach Nick Nurse to implement offensive and defensive schemes earlier than he has in past years. Tyrese Maxey says it “changes everything” to have Embiid on the court every day.
“For him to be healthy throughout the entirety (of the preseason), you can put in more packages,” Maxey said. “There’s been times when he hasn’t been healthy, and we get into the game, and now we’re trying to learn in the flow. I’ve been here, so I know where he wants to touch (the ball) and all that stuff. If you haven’t played with a big like Joel, which there’s not many, it’s very hard, difficult to learn certain things — when to cut, when to slide over.”
LeBron James won a gold medal with Embiid as part of Team USA in the 2024 Olympics, but even that was a limited version of the star big man. Hine states that they have been working out together before practices to help develop on-court chemistry, and James has noticed the difference in Embiid.
“He wanted to be a part of that team. He was a part of that team, and he gave us everything that he had physically,” James said. “He was one of the 12 guys that we all enjoyed one another throughout that whole summer, but there was times he felt great, times he didn’t feel great. That was just about him being healthy. But this summer he’s been the most healthy he’s been in a long time.”
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Ariel Hukporti’s season-ending Achilles tear created a need for another backup center, and Jabari Walker has been filling that role as a small-ball five, observes Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. Aaronson states that Walker improved his rotation chances more than anyone during the preseason, logging minutes at the position while other big men dealt with injuries. “Well, I think he’s played very well. And again, it’s kind of just been out of necessity that we’ve had to play him there,” Nurse said. “It’s maybe helped him a little bit. I think primarily he’s a pick-and-pop player. So when he’s at the five, he’s going to get more matchups and more opportunities to show some of that.”
Free agent addition Anfernee Simons missed the entire preseason with a hamstring issue while rookie guard Labaron Philon Jr. has looked impressive, Aaronson adds, but Nurse said they’re not in “direct competition” for bench minutes. Aaronson also states that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will likely be the final member of the rotation if Simons is available for Tuesday’s season opener.
Nurse has a chance to become the fourth NBA coach ever to win titles with multiple teams, Brendan Quinn of The Athletic notes in a lengthy profile. Nurse discusses how he plans to manage a team full of stars and deal with the heightened expectations. “I kind of take the big-picture approach of — I’m going to work very hard. I’m not afraid of the minutes and the hours that it takes,” Nurse said. “That’s part of it. I’m going to be prepared and get prepared and get the team prepared. That’s my job. I know I’m gonna make mistakes. There are just too many decisions every single day and every single game and I know I’m gonna make mistakes. So I’m going to acknowledge when I do and move on to the next decision, and make the very best decision that I can every time. And, I’ll pray a lot.”