How? 

I could trace it back to the play-in game against Orlando. Andre Drummond’s threes. VJ’s rebounds. Tyrese’s 31 points. If the Sixers don’t win that game, they never play Boston. Demons are never exercised. The Celtics handle Orlando with ease. Brown stays put. 

But they played the Magic in Philly instead of in Orlando partly because Boston’s backups won the regular season finale against Orlando.

Many things don’t make sense. And there is no use for hypotheticals. 

The NBA is strange. Philly is stranger. Maxey is a Sixer because Mike Muscala made some threes for the Thunder in the bubble. 

LeBron plays in Philly. Jaylen does, too. 

What is this world? 

Not that long ago being in this position as one of the favorites was unrealistic. A miracle needed to happen. There are many places to pinpoint, but securing the third overall pick during the 2025 draft is a nice place to begin. 

Edgecombe instantly made an impact, reviving an indifferent fanbase. He, alongside Maxey, brought joy to basketball after the truly miserable 24-25 season. It cannot be overstated how Edgecombe changed how watching the Sixers felt. As Paul George began the season injured and Embiid took a minute to find his groove, it was the backcourt that delivered the juice. A 34-point debut, eight assists in the home opener, and a block against Paolo Banchero the following game. 

Maxey made his first All-NBA team last season. He flourished with a more consistent team around him. His relationship to LeBron ranks near the top as to why this is happening. The constant double teams should slow down now. Maybe leading the league in minutes will stop, too. 

We saw how last year ended for Embiid. The Knicks did whatever they wanted offensively. The defensive drop didn’t work and neither did hedging. Embiid looked rough. There is hope that recovering from the appendicitis mixed with the grueling nature of coming back from a 3-1 deficit the round before factored the most in Embiid’s ineffectiveness. He said so himself. His knee felt good. He remains optimistic. And things on the offensive end will be easier now. 

I have little doubt Embiid will be committed to whatever basketball plan makes sense. He knows the last thing he needs on his resume is playoff success. Last season he deferred more to Maxey and Edgecombe. He’ll have no problem making sure that continues. 

And then there is Jaylen Brown.

It has been reported that everything changed when the Sixers traded for Brown. If there is a top reason LeBron is playing in Philadelphia, it’s the former Celtic. An absurd thing to realize. 

Four weeks ago the ESPN notification popped on my Garmin that the Sixers acquired Brown. I immediately texted my brother and brother-in-law. The latter thought the former and I conspired to pull a prank. In reality it has felt like a big joke. Everything about this offseason does. 

Dean Wade became a Sixer the night before Brown. And Anfernee Simons joined the next day. Wade will do the dirty work while Simons will have the green light from wherever. Ideal players to add to any championship hopeful. 

Little did Boston know that they played matchmaker for the Sixers to land LeBron.

There is something about former LA players joining the Sixers. 

It’s a storied history, mostly involving Clippers. Elton Brand inked a big deal back in 2008. The Sixers traded for Andrew Bynum in 2012, whose failure led directly to the Process. The JJ Redick addition five years later changed everything for Embiid. The deadline deal for Tobias Harris in 2019 could not be more controversial. And then two years ago the “cap space plan” worked when Paul George signed. 

LeBron is a Sixer. 

How?

One of the best passers in NBA history. Still lethal in transition. LeBron will make things easy for Maxey and Edgecombe. He’ll find Simons, Wade, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for open threes. Nick Nurse can have one of LeBron and Brown on the floor at all times.

Not 500 days ago, the Sixers started Marcus Bagley several times down the stretch of a miserable season. Not even 100 days ago Knicks fans took over the concourse on Mother’s Day during a sweep. Josh Hart poked fun at Sixer fans. But those two teams couldn’t have been more different. The Knicks were building towards their championship season, while the Sixers were a play-in team still finding its footing. A fan base despondent after so many failed attempts at advancing deep into the postseason. 

That feeling is gone.

Hope is restored.

Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid.