LeBron James made his long-awaited 76ers preseason debut on Thursday night. He didn’t have to wait long to make an impact.
The 41-year-old enjoyed a solid showing in Philadelphia’s 114-108 loss to the Nets, producing 10 points, five assists and four rebounds across 18 minutes.
The aging wonder only played in the first half, resting in the second as Philly rotated its roster. He looks poised to remain a formidable presence on his talent-laden side, even if his numbers diminish slightly compared to his Lakers averages.
With that, here’s a look at what we could expect to see from James and Co. based on his first display as a member of the Sixers.
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Three takeaways from LeBron James’ preseason 76ers debut
LeBron’s playmaking chops should shine in Nick Nurse’s offense
While a great many of James’ skills have atrophied a bit with age, he remains one of the league’s best passers. He flaunted his passing chops in a major way against Brooklyn, producing five assists compared to just one field goal attempt.
Philadelphia’s offense is teeming with firepower around James. He should be spoilt for choice in terms of spreading the ball around — especially if Joel Embiid can stay healthy for large portions of the season.
V.J. Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey’s youthful exuberance make them prime candidates to get on the end of James passes, while Brown and Embiid are more than capable of pouring in buckets from all three levels. James hasn’t averaged more than 8.3 assists since the 2019-20 season. Expect him to approach or surpass that tally in 2026-27.
James’ at-rim gravity remains as strong as ever
James is nowhere near the athlete he once was. That hasn’t prevented him from being able to attack the rim with reckless abandon, though. He averaged a respectable 5.3 free throws a game in his final season with the Lakers. That number very well could swell in Philadelphia colors.
With Philly’s starting five all capable of wreaking havoc on opposition defenses from beyond the arc, that should open up space for James to operate. Furthermore, Maxey’s ability to blow by defenders off the dribble is likely to fashion up lanes for James to drive into. We’re backing his ability to exploit matchup disadvantages as get to the rim at will.
V.J. Edgecombe on the verge of a major breakout
Those hoping to see Philadelphia prioritize Edgecombe’s development might have been a tad nervous to see James and Brown’s arrival in the City of Brotherly Love. Thursday’s showcase suggests there will be plenty of opportunity for the Baylor product to make an impact.
Edgecombe logged 23 minutes on the night, finishing Thursday’s game with 11 points and five rebounds. While he’s the least polished of Philadelphia’s starting five, he should play a major role in dictating how far the 76ers go this year. He projects to be the Sixers’ main point-of-attack defender and should get plenty of touches in and around the paint. The second-year guard is a candidate to sizzle alongside his high-profile teammates.
