Joel Embiid wasn't kidding when he told the basketball world that he wants to be able to do it all.
Since the Philadelphia 76ers center entered the NBA, he has worked on plenty of things that a traditional center wouldn't even think about. A decade into his playing career, Embiid is a proven three-level threat.
To some, it's a blessing and a curse for the 76ers. Embiid is dominant down low, and there aren't many centers in the game who can defend what he brings to the table in the paint or even in the mid-range. Still, defenses will watch the big man camp out around the three-point line at times, giving him some open shots from deep.
He's a willing stretch-five and has knocked down 33.9% of his threes in nearly 500 games. Some fans hate to see it, and prefer Embiid to be on the block. However, as long as Jaylen Brown's around with a say in what they're running, don't expect Embiid to make the switch.
Keep the floor spaced
Brown comes from a situation on the Boston Celtics, where they not only embraced having five shooters on the floor--they forced it. Guys like Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis were key to Joe Mazzulla's system when the Celtics won the title a few years back.
Although Brown is entering a different situation on the 76ers, his new head coach Nick Nurse doesn't shy away from the idea that threes are way more valuable than twos. While Nurse has given Embiid the freedom to play his game the way he sees fit, Brown sounds like a guy who is certainly going to push for the spacing help.
"It really complements my game well when a big can either be a lob threat or be a threat from the three-point line," Brown told reporters this week. "Just keeps the floor open, and that's where I like to attack the basket," Brown noted, saying that keeping the floor space is going to be key to opening up his game.
The Sixers obviously have plenty of mouths to feed. All of the stars have noted the sacrifice they need to make for the greater good of the team, but everybody wants to eat at the end of the day.
Jaylen Brown has averaged 21.7 points throughout his career since becoming a full-time starter for the Celtics in year two. He has made nearly 55% of his shots within the two-point range. The Sixers aren't going to run exclusively through the forward, but making him feel as comfortable as possible will be a priority in 2026-2027. As long as that's the case, don't expect Joel Embiid to change his ways.
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