September 30, 2026
CAMDEN, N.J. – As LeBron James was departing his first practice as a member of the Sixers via helicopter on Tuesday afternoon, reporters exiting the team's Camden practice facility noticed something else unusual: Tyrese Maxey, the All-NBA guard largely responsible for James' arrival, waiting for a ride.
"I ain't going to lie, that was funny," Maxey said on Wednesday after the team's second practice. "One of us left on a helicopter, the other one was sitting on the curb."
Make no mistake: Maxey is as important of a leadership figure as these Sixers have, even if he is just a year older than James' NBA career. "I think just using my voice," Maxey said when asked how he has gone about expanding his leadership in recent years. "I lead by example by my work, so that's always going to be the case. But my voice carries a little bit."
A fresh batch of notes from the second day of training camp in Camden: the latest on Maxey, James and the rest of the Sixers starters when it comes to preseason plans, a new teammate Maxey is convinced he is going to "love" playing with and more:
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse did not want to make a firm commitment when asked if he was going to get his starters onto the floor during the Sixers' four-game preseason slate – which begins Monday when the New York Knicks come to Xfinity Mobile Arena – but indicated that was his goal.
"We certainly want them to get out there and play," Nurse said before mentioning that the Sixers will confer with their key players before making any decisions. "...I think they'll all get out there, and I would say, kind of like we've done in the past, the guys that are available would play a bit in the first half. The second half, probably looking at the other guys and all that stuff. But as we get closer to the end, we want to get some time out there together, for sure."
James has been a regular preseason participant in his career, but did not play in any exhibition games last year as he dealt with sciatica. He logged at least three preseason appearances in each of the prior four years, though, so the 41-year-old could certainly be in play at some point in the weeks ahead. Embiid's preseason availability has been far less frequent; he made one appearance last season after making none the year before and one the year prior to that.
James and Embiid will be the players to watch when it comes to the Sixers managing workloads, and Nurse acknowledged as much on Tuesday. Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Jaylen Brown will be the more stable pieces when it comes to game-to-game availability and also the players likely to handle heavier minutes totals.
What the Sixers hope makes their team great: The aforementioned stability of Maxey, Edgecombe and Brown will allow them to be as proactive as possible in managing Embiid and James, thereby giving the team its best possible chance at having a healthy playoff run.
MORE: Notes from Sixers' first day of training camp
Maxey has seen an enormous amount of roster turnover in his time in Philadelphia; Embiid is the only player from Maxey's rookie campaign still here. Getting to know new teammates is nothing new, and Maxey said that "when you're with somebody every day, it's different."
"Like, man," Maxey said. "Dean Wade's, like, legit almost 6-foot-10."
Wade, this team's most important reserve as he begins a four-year contract worth nearly $39 million, laughed when Maxey's comment was relayed to him. This is his first time experiencing a completely new set of teammates. How has it gone?
"It’s completely different. You know their tendencies, playing against them and stuff. But when you know you're on the same team as them, you kind of pick their brain, see how – my biggest thing is, the way they think the game is the most impressive thing," Wade said. "Tyrese, Joel, Bron, JB, everyone. The way they think the game is [at] such a high level. As an NBA player, you think you know the game well, and then you see – then you get on a team like this and it's night and day."
Maxey gushed over Wade. "I love Dean Wade," he said and then repeated. "Great teammate. I can already tell, man."
Wade is similarly optimistic about his fit.
"You see the way they think about plays, think about defenses, the way they think of rotations, it's similar to some things I thought," Wade said, "but they go a little more in depth, and it’s super impressive. It's something I hope to pick their brain and learn about more as we get to building relationships with each other."
MORE: Dean Wade film study
Wade, at times, had the appearance of a kid in a candy shop. He lit up when given chances to discuss this team's collection of talent, and he raved about how things could unfold on both ends of the floor. He used the word "unbelievable" three times in one answer when asked about how this team could thrive in transition offense, then again in his next answer when asked about Maxey and Edgecombe.
The Sixers are switching up lineups throughout practice; at times their five projected starters have played together and at times they have been split up with reserves mixed in.
"Yesterday in training camp we were playing," Wade said. "We have barely – just base concepts. When you get out in transition, it didn't seem like they were – it was unbelievable, how good they were. We don't have any plays, like, nothing."
The Sixers have four of the best transition players in the entire NBA in their starting lineup, plus a hulking center who has grown more and more comfortable playing as a trailer. Wade sees the team's potential to be special in transition.
"They were just out in transition playing the right way. The ball was flowing. It wasn't sticking anywhere. I was on their team, it was so fun to play. I've played against them when they were in that kind of flow and I was like, 'There's nothing you can do.' Like, it's unbelievable. So I think a big emphasis is getting out in transition this year and just kicking it ahead and letting those guys do what they do best: create shots, score, and just have fun. It's going to be a fun flow this year, so I'm excited."
MORE: Star-studded starting lineup unveiled at Media Day
Some additional notes:
• Another new Sixers veteran Maxey knows well: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, twice a starting shooting guard for a championship team. Caldwell-Pope has been "fantastic" early in camp, Maxey said, arguing that he should serve as a tremendous guide and example for third-year wing Justin Edwards as he tries to carve out an NBA role as a two-way perimeter presence.
• Nurse said he has been "super impressed" by rookie guard Labaron Philon Jr. so far, adding that the No. 22 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has been "really holding his own everywhere." Philon said at Media Day that he needs to prove himself as a defensive player; the Sixers' training camp roster lists him at 6-foot-3 and 179 pounds.
• Long after practice had wrapped up, Brown returned to the floor to do work on his post-up scoring and one-on-one play. He was working with a few assistant coaches, notably new face Phil Handy. Handy was working with Anfernee Simons after Tuesday's practice.
Jaylen Brown practicing post offense options after practice Wednesday pic.twitter.com/LKeuskv5fW
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) September 30, 2026
• Maxey was asked what he is seeing from Embiid so far after Nurse raved about the former NBA MVP's shape on Tuesday. "He looks great. He looks amazing. He looks happy," Maxey said. "When you're healthy and you're happy, you're at peace with your life in basketball, that's when you're at your best."
MORE: LeBron sets expectations upon arrival at Media Day
