Preseason is now here for the Philadelphia 76ers, and it will not take long before fans can catch their first real glimpse at what the team's newly revamped core looks like on the court. In fact, as per Philly Voice's Adam Aaronson, Nick Nurse bared that it is likely for all players on their projected starting five to show up in what is basically the dress rehearsal for the upcoming campaign –– a development that is much welcome given the previous statuses of their older players.
Barring any drastic changes, the 76ers are probably going to roll with a starting lineup composed of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid. Nurse has always preferred starting his five best players, and the coaches must also be eager to see what the dynamic looks like with those guys on the court together. Fortunately, that is a tenable goal even this preseason.
The 76ers are set to see their starting five play together this preseason
Last year, both James and Embiid did not participate in the preseason. LeBron, who was still with the Lakers at the time, was dealing with sciatica, which prevented him from taking part in camp. Meanwhile, the 76ers big man was still recuperating from his knee surgery last summer at that juncture.
It would have been understandable had both of them opted to sit the preseason out. James is the oldest active player in the league and would benefit from starting his campaign a tad later than the others, and Embiid, while apparently healthier than ever this time around, is still someone who necessitates a delicate approach.
Now that both are increasingly likely to play in the preseason, Nurse and the coaching staff will have a prime opportunity to come up with strategies and lineup combinations that can ease the team into the regular season. After all, both of those players require certain configurations to make the most of their gifts.
James is set to be the main playmaker for the 76ers this coming season, so it would be ideal for the team to see his dynamic with Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and another newcomer in Jaylen Brown –– all of which do the most damage with the ball in their hands.
Meanwhile, Embiid is still going to be the catalyst for the 76ers as their best one-on-one scorer, although an emphasis on defense this year will be key for him and the team.
Anyhow, this is a positive development for Philly. After all, there is no better practice for this revamped core than the preseason, where games do not count just yet but ultimately matter in terms of the team's preparation for a grueling 82-game regular season and then some.
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