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Eastern Conference · Atlantic Division

Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia · Xfinity Mobile Arena · Founded in 1946 · 3 titles (latest in 1983)

Challenger Knocking on the door
  • 50projected wins
  • 30.4years, core age
  • 3years of window
  • 211.8 Mpayroll, over the first apron
  • +0.3net rating in 2025-26 (17th)
What would you do with the Philadelphia 76ers? Propose a trade, an extension or the team's direction, and test it in its Trade Machine. Have your say →

The franchise

Front office and bench

Ownership
Josh Harris and David Blitzer (Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment)
President of Basketball Operations
Mike Gansey since 2026
General Manager
Jameer Nelson since 2026
HBSE President of Sports (oversight)
Bob Myers since 2025

Head coach

Nick Nurse since 2023

2019 champion with Toronto; stays on for a fourth season despite Morey's departure, now with a roster full of veteran stars.

Assistants

  • Phil HandyAssistant coach (player development)
  • Rico HinesAssistant coach
  • Bryan GatesAssistant coach
  • Dice YoshimotoAssistant coach and head of video

The direction

What the franchise says and what its moves show

After being swept by the Knicks in the second round, the new front office has gone all-in on the present: Brown and LeBron join Embiid and Maxey to contend in the East right now. Gansey presents himself as an opportunistic executive who wants to be part of every negotiation, with Nurse providing continuity on the bench.

Building around

Joel Embiid Tyrese Maxey Jaylen Brown LeBron James

What they have said

  • He admitted there was no set plan to pair Brown and LeBron and that his approach is to pick up the phone and try to get into every possible deal.

    President of basketball operations Mike Gansey · NBC Sports Philadelphia · August 2026

What the data points to

  • Deadline buyer Likely
    • Projects to 50 wins: built to compete now.
    • Can offer 1 first-round pick (2027).
    • Its weak spot is the bigs.
  • Clean up the books Likely
    • Spends 211.8 M and is over the first apron.
    • Jaylen Brown is paid more than he produces.
    • It is 11.4 M over the tax, and every extra million costs another one and a half or more in penalties.
    • Expiring contracts appeal to it: swapping long money for salary that runs out frees up room for the summer.

Moves

Summer 2026

  • Daryl Morey fired (May 12) after six years; Mike Gansey, Cleveland's GM, becomes the new president of basketball operations.
  • Trade: Jaylen Brown arrives from Boston in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks and two seconds.
  • LeBron James signs: two years, $8M, for his 24th season.
  • Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope sign.
  • Draft: Labaron Philon Jr. (No. 22).
  • Departures: Paul George, Andre Drummond, Kelly Oubre Jr., Quentin Grimes and Kyle Lowry.

Latest

  • Oct 17 Waived Waived Fs Cris Carroll, Taye Fields and Dillon Jones. Waived G Jameer Nelson Jr.
  • Feb 4 Draft picks Acquired a 2026 first-round pick and three second round picks from Oklahoma City Thunder for G Jaren McCain.

The roster

15 NBA contracts · 2026-27 salaries

PlayerAgeSalaryThrough
Starters
Tyrese Maxey G 25 40.8 M 2028-29
VJ Edgecombe G 21 11.7 M 2028-29
Jaylen Brown G 29 57.1 M 2028-29
LeBron James F 41 3.9 M 2027-28
Joel Embiid C 32 58.1 M 2028-29
Rotation
Anfernee Simons G 27 6.0 M 2027-28
Dean Wade F 29 9.0 M 2029-30
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope G 33 2.4 M 2026-27
Adem Bona C 23 2.3 M 2027-28
Labaron Philon Jr. G 20 3.6 M 2029-30

The analysis, with data

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

  • Playmaking 4th with today’s roster
  • Offensive impact 4th with today’s roster
  • Scoring 6th with today’s roster
  • Ball security 6th · 13.0 turnovers per 100 possessions

Weaknesses

  • Ball movement 28th · 58.9 % of its baskets are assisted
  • Defensive rebounding 26th · 72.5 % of opponent misses rebounded
  • Three-point volume 23rd · 39.1 % of its shots are threes
  • Three-point accuracy 23rd · 34.9 % from three

Today's roster, facet by facet (league rank)

  • Defense 16th
  • Rim protection 15th
  • Three-point shooting 20th
  • Playmaking 4th
  • Scoring 6th
  • Rebounding 22nd
  • Offensive impact 4th
How it played as a team in 2025-26
Offensive ratingpoints per 100 possessions 116.4 17th
Defensive ratingpoints allowed per 100 possessions 116.1 16th
Net ratingper 100 possessions +0.3 17th
Pacepossessions per game 98.8 15th
Three-point volumeof its shots are threes 39.1 % 23rd
Three-point accuracyfrom three 34.9 % 23rd
Offensive reboundingof its misses rebounded 26.2 % 10th
Defensive reboundingof opponent misses rebounded 72.5 % 26th
Ball securityturnovers per 100 possessions 13.0 6th
Ball movementof its baskets are assisted 58.9 % 28th

Roster holes

  • Needs a quality bigIts best big ranks below 76% of the league.
  • Weak in reboundingWith today’s rotation it ranks 22nd in the league in rebounding.
  • Weak in three-point shootingWith today’s rotation it ranks 20th in the league in three-point shooting.
  • Only 2 forwards in the rotationShort on bodies on the wing.

Contracts and extensions

Expiring this season

  • Dominick Barlow 22 years old · paid 3.4 M Salary coming off the books
  • Jabari Walker 23 years old · paid 2.6 M Salary coming off the books
  • Ariel Hukporti 23 years old · paid 3.4 M Salary coming off the books

Bargains (produce far above their salary, for several years)

None.

Pricey but short (paid more than they produce, but ending soon)

None.

Money and picks

Payroll 211.8 M Cap 165.0 M Tax 200.4 M 1st apron 209.0 M 2nd apron 221.7 M

Payroll
211.8 M · over the first apron
Distance to each line
tax: 11.4 M over · 1st apron: 2.8 M over · 2nd apron: 9.9 M below
Next summer
215.9 M committed · no cap space
First-rounders it can trade
2027 · 4 swaps

Radar and possible trades

Players who fit and that it can afford

  • Deandre Ayton WAS8.1 M · fills its hole at bigs, expiring contract, produces above his salary
  • Goga Bitadze ORL7.6 M · fills its hole at bigs, expiring contract, produces above his salary
  • Kevin Porter Jr. MIL5.4 M · expiring contract, produces above his salary

A trade that works under the CBA

WAS gets

  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
  • Ariel Hukporti
  • Jabari Walker

PHI gets

  • Deandre Ayton
Try it in the Trade Machine ↓

Trade pieces

Assets
LeBron James (worth 24.2 M more than his salary), VJ Edgecombe (worth 5.4 M more than his salary), Tyrese Maxey (worth 4.3 M more than his salary), Dominick Barlow (worth 6.0 M more than his salary)
Contracts that weigh
Jaylen Brown (overpaid by 26.0 M)
To match salaries
No expiring contract with a useful salary

Your turn

What would you do with the Philadelphia 76ers?

Send us your take: a trade, an extension or the team's direction. The best ones make it onto the podcast.

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