Joel Embiid rejects idea 76ers stars must ‘take a back seat’ as NBA regular season looms

The Philadelphia 76ers boast a star-studded roster that has been projected to make a run at the NBA title. Jaylen Brown arrived in Philadelphia as the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade, while LeBron James later chose the Sixers after considering several teams in free agency this offseason.

Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid have spent their entire NBA careers in Philadelphia. Some have questioned whether the 76ers can keep all of their stars satisfied this season, but Embiid believes the team can succeed without forcing its stars to make major sacrifices or drastically alter their playing styles.

“I’m against the concept of sacrificing,” Embiid said after Friday’s preseason finale. “I think the way I explained it was you do what you do best, and we’re going to support you. … I don’t think anybody has to take a back seat.”

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LeBron James and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers look on against the Boston Celtics during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Oct. 16, 2026. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Four of Philadelphia’s stars took the court in the 76ers’ preseason finale Friday, while emerging star VJ Edgecombe sat out. The exhibition nonetheless offered a glimpse of what Nick Nurse’s team could look like when the regular season begins next week.

Embiid, in particular, looked to already be in midseason form Friday night, finishing with 27 points, eight rebounds and a highlight-reel-worthy dunk.

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LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey look on during a preseason game against the Boston Celtics at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Oct. 16, 2026. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

The Boston Celtics held on for a 125-120 overtime win to close out both teams’ preseason schedules. The Sixers’ star-laden lineup looked out of sync at times, with Brown pointing to spacing issues as a factor in some of the turnovers, an area Philadelphia still has time to smooth out.

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“We’re not where we want to be yet,” he said. “So that’s just a part of it. It’s a part of coming together, a new group with a bunch of guys, different style, but we just got to keep getting better every day.”

James struck a similar tone to Brown, although neither seemed concerned about the Sixers’ ability to come together.

“We’re getting there,” James said. “I mean, obviously we are a couple of weeks in, so we’re still working on our rhythm, working on our kinks, and it’s not going to be perfect.”

LeBron James (23) of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to Joel Embiid (21)and Tyrese Maxey (0_ against the New York Knicks during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Oct. 5, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Getty Images)

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The 2026-27 NBA season tips off Tuesday with three marquee matchups, including the 76ers’ visit to Madison Square Garden to face the reigning champion New York Knicks.