September 15, 2026
Colleen Claggett/for PhillyVoice
Jaylen Brown says the Sixers do not need to be anybody's team. Will everyone involved feel that way once the season has started?
As the Sixers' dream offseason finally nears its end, the realities of this team's on-court challenges feel more real.
"Obviously, on paper, we look great," Jaylen Brown said at his introductory press conference last month. "But let's all slow down. It takes real work every single day in order to make something like this happen. For me, the work has started already. I'm looking forward to doing whatever it is I need to do, whoever I need to talk to, to make sure that we get on the same page and that everybody's focused on the same thing. If we do that, then we'll be where we want to be."
One of the most significant pieces of work the Sixers have to tackle: orienting their offense around five high-octane scoring threats.
In the penultimate Sixers mailbag of the 2026 offseason, evaluating another comment Brown made last month in relation to the Sixers' eventual offensive fit and touching on the team's two-way contract situation:
From @Philly_Isaac: At his press conference, Jaylen Brown talked about sacrifice saying “this doesn’t have to be anybody’s team.” Do you feel like that sentiment is genuine?
"To be honest, it doesn't have to be anybody's team," Brown said. "It just needs to be based in respect and work. And that's my approach: I want to earn everybody's respect and trust, which takes time. Obviously, [there are] a lot of guys with talent, egos. Well, to win, you've got to be able to sacrifice. You've got to be able to have trust and communication."
Brown is right – the Sixers do not need to have a defined offensive hierarchy in order to win a championship. Part of the beauty of their team is that they have so many players used to commanding significant defensive attention. Somebody has to get lost in the shuffle or defended by a weak link. For now, there is no reason not to take the five-time All-Star at his word, though it is obviously easier to preach this concept in August and September than actually practice it when the season is ongoing and issues are emerging.
Between Brown, Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James and Joel Embiid, the Sixers have four players capable of leading a team on any given night. There is a chance that VJ Edgecombe is nearing the same status. But the Sixers' hope is that their abundance of offensive firepower will enable them to ensure no player has a burden too significant.
| Player | 2025-26 USG% (regular season) | 2025-26 USG% (playoffs) |
| Tyrese Maxey | 29.4 | 26.7 |
| VJ Edgecombe | 20.1 | 19.2 |
| Jaylen Brown | 36.2 | 33.4 |
| LeBron James | 27.2 | 29.5 |
| Joel Embiid | 33.5 | 32.4 |
Does Sixers head coach Nick Nurse need to have a designated go-to scorer? It is certainly important that the Sixers know their bread-and-butter actions offensively, but that is not exactly the same thing. Think about it this way: if the Sixers are coming out of a timeout with the ball and a chance to win the game, they are better off going against a defense that believes Nurse could have just drawn up a play for any five of his starters. It adds unpredictability to an offense. The Sixers need go-to plays more than a go-to player; matchups, game flow and the feel of the players on the floor can dictate where the ball ends up at the ends of games.
Ultimately, if everyone involved is pulling in the same direction and capable of putting the team first, these issues will largely be ironed out in time. But that requires sacrifice.
"We have a lot of talent compared to the other teams in the league. But I've been around a long time - long enough to know that just what you have on paper don't really mean nothing," Brown said. "It can if you put the work in, but if you allow distractions, if you allow the media to get into your locker room, if you allow certain things and personalities don't work, it can be a detriment. So I'm aware that it could go either way. It just takes the amount of work and the transparency, and the leadership can really guide this thing or not. So, for me, I'm just focused on that."
MORE: After 'crazy transition,' Brown ready to win with Sixers
From @buff985: Is there any value to having a spot open to convert a two-way player this season, or are they "all in" with vets?
Even as Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert prepare to face tougher roads to breaking through than they thought they were inheriting with the Sixers, it is always at least somewhat helpful to have an open roster spot if one of your two-way players pops.
Now that they are aiming to be full-blown championship contenders, the Sixers will eventually use every roster spot to maximize their chances of winning. If Love or Rupert or their eventual third two-way player proves to be worthy of that spot, the Sixers will happily give it to them, especially if they can secure long-term control. The Sixers promoted Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker last year, a continuation of their significant two-way success over the years.
But the Sixers' motivation for leaving their last roster spot open is different than it has been in previous years. Recently, the Sixers have carried 14 players into the season for the sake of "flexibility." That oftentimes boiled down to being closer to the luxury tax threshold, with the room for a two-way promotion being an added bonus.
This time around, the Sixers left a roster spot open for the sake of fitting in the best roster they could under their hard cap at the first apron. The Sixers entered the summer in a precarious spot financially, then took on additional salary by swapping Paul George for Brown and used just about the entirety of the non-taxpayer's mid-level exception, plus most of the bi-annual exception. Doing all of that without leaving a roster spot open would have been a challenge.
SIXERS PLAYER PREVIEWS
Joel Embiid | Labaron Philon Jr. | Dean Wade | Dominick Barlow
Adem Bona | Tyrese Maxey | VJ Edgecombe
Jaylen Brown | Ariel Hukporti | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
