Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers have spent years looking like a championship contender on paper, only to have injuries, roster flaws or postseason disappointments end their season before the Eastern Conference finals.
This time feels different.
Philadelphia didn’t simply tweak its roster this summer. It added two players who know exactly what it takes to win in the playoffs, bringing in Jaylen Brown from Boston before signing LeBron James to a two-year deal. Put those two alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, and anything short of viewing the Sixers as a legitimate title contender is selling this roster short.
There are obvious questions about age and health. But if Philadelphia reaches the playoffs with its core intact, few teams will want to see this group across a seven-game series.
LeBron And Brown Give Philadelphia Something It Has Lacked
James is 41 and no longer the player who could single-handedly carry a team through four playoff rounds. But he doesn’t have to be.
LeBron still averaged more than 20 points per game last season and remains one of basketball’s smartest playmakers. More importantly, nobody on this roster has to explain playoff pressure to him. James has won four championships and reached the NBA Finals 10 times. When possessions slow down and decision-making becomes more important in May and June, Philadelphia now has one of the greatest postseason players ever controlling the game.
Then there is Brown.
The Sixers gave up Paul George and significant draft capital to acquire him, but they received a player who is still firmly in his prime. Brown averaged 28.7 points last season with Jayson Tatum sidelined for most of the year and brings the defensive versatility and physicality Philadelphia has desperately needed on the wing. He is also a champion and the 2024 NBA Finals MVP.
That’s what makes the combination so intriguing. James doesn’t need to score 30 every night. Brown doesn’t need to carry the entire perimeter workload. Both can pick their spots because Philadelphia already has elite offensive talent around them.
Maxey And Edgecombe Make This More Than A Veteran Superteam
Tyrese Maxey isn’t just Embiid’s sidekick anymore. He is a superstar in his own right.
The 25-year-old averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists last season, numbers that firmly establish him among the NBA’s premier guards. His speed and perimeter scoring give Philadelphia something entirely different from James’ methodical playmaking or Brown’s physical downhill attack.
Maxey has already embraced a larger leadership role, and now he can enter his prime without shouldering every responsibility himself. There is help around him.
VJ Edgecombe might be the biggest wild card. After being selected third overall in 2025, he averaged 16 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a rookie and earned All-Rookie honors. He showed from his 34-point NBA debut onward that the moment wasn’t too big for him.
Edgecombe previously spoke about learning from Maxey and growing up idolizing James. Now he gets both of them as teammates.
That gives Philadelphia an unusual mix: the championship experience of James and Brown, two stars in Maxey and Embiid who are hungry to break through, and a young player in Edgecombe who could take another major step.
The Sixers also strengthened the supporting cast. Anfernee Simons gives Nick Nurse another proven scorer off the bench, while two-time champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope adds shooting, defence and more postseason experience. Dean Wade provides additional size and lineup flexibility.
The entire argument, of course, comes back to Embiid.
He averaged 26.9 points last season despite continuing to deal with health issues. When Embiid is at 100%, he remains one of the few players capable of controlling a playoff game at both ends.
That’s the risk. Embiid has to stay on the floor, and Philadelphia has to manage James’ workload at age 41. But title contention isn’t about guaranteeing a championship. It’s about having a roster capable of winning one, and Philadelphia clearly does.
Embiid staying healthy is key, but if he can, this team has every chance to go all the way and finally bring a Larry O’Brien back to the City of Brotherly Love.
For anyone evaluating the league entering 2026-27, whether through preseason rankings or basketball betting sites, the Sixers belong in the championship conversation. FanDuel currently lists Philadelphia at +1000 to win the 2026-27 NBA title, behind only Oklahoma City, San Antonio and New York among the teams shown in the early futures market.