On social media on Wednesday afternoon, Parker announced that an arena would indeed be built for the Philadelphia 76ers in Center City.

“As your Mayor, I’m speaking from my City Hall office with a very important announcement. I am proud to share that I have made my decision, and an agreement has been reached to ensure that our Sixers are staying home,” Parker wrote on social media.

While she did not outline the exact terms of the agreement, Parker promised that it would bring “hundreds and hundreds” of jobs to Center City.

Also, she noted that her office would be “transmitting the related legislative package to our City Council of Philadelphia for its consideration where it must be approved.”

Through this agreement, Parker said the plan would bring more than $1.3 billion of private investment and will mean “hundreds of millions” in new tax revenue.

“It represents an unprecedented revival of Market Street,” she said.

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Also, Parker took a moment to direct a comment toward the residents of the city’s Chinatown neighborhood — many of whom have opposed the arena plan — to say that she wants the agreement to help the “rich and vibrant” community thrive.

“I wholeheartedly believe this is the right deal for the People of Philadelphia. To the People of Chinatown, please know that I hear you. We have the best Chinatown in the United States, and I am committed to working together to support it. I’ll have a lot more to say in a formal presentation coming soon,” Parker said.

Shortly after Parker announced that an agreement had been made, in a statement, the 76ers said they were “grateful” for the mayor’s work.

“We are grateful to Mayor Parker and her team for their time and diligence in evaluating our proposal and look forward to advancing to the next steps with City Council,” the 76ers said.

Dan Hilferty, chairman and CEO of Comcast Spectacor said, in a statement, that regardless of the outcome of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment’s — the company that owns the 76ers — negotiations, the team was always welcome to remain in South Philadelphia.

“Regardless of the outcome of the City’s negotiations with HBSE, our door will always be open for the 76ers to join us in South Philadelphia if they ever conclude that is what is best for their team,” Hilferty said. “Alongside the Phillies, we are creating the dynamic and accessible destination for sports and entertainment that will create thousands of jobs, amplify our City, and create numerous community benefits. Either way, we always want what is best for Philadelphia.”

However, following the mayor’s announcement, a statement from the Save Chinatown Coalition argued that the “fight is far from over.”

Protesters gathered at City Hall shortly after the mayor’s announcement, saying they are ready to fight for their neighborhood. They believe a new arena will destroy Chinatown, and the fabric of that community.

The Save Chinatown Coalition has been fighting for months for the neighborhood.

“If you don’t have the decency to come to our community, and look us in the eye, and talk to us, that is disrespectful, that’s extremely disrespectful,” Debbie Wei, with the Save Chinatown Coalition, said.

Some sixers fans are dreading all the commotion a move like this could bring to the city.

“Traffic is going to be terrible, so not looking forward to that. It’s going to be interesting to see how many communities that’s going to disrupt too,” one Philly resident said.

Others are standing strong with the mayor.

“Best possible place for the Sixers to be at. Stay hometown. A lot of jobs. A lot of jobs are going to open up for us. We’ve been struggling with jobs and all that so,” another man said.

“Mayor Parker still hasn’t met with Chinatown after all this time, yet feels she can have a stance on whether our community should live or die. This was never about one person, and this fight is far from over. We are going to fight this, and we are going to the mat. It’s on,” said Debbie Wei, who was described as a longtime Chinatown community member and member of the Save Chinatown Coalition.

Hours after the announcement, City Councilmember Mark Squilla released a statement that reads, “Now that the Mayor has made a decision on 76 Place, CM Squilla remains steadfast in his commitment to circulate the package of bills to all stakeholders for at least 30 days.  During this time, we expect to consider all concerns and amend the legislation as needed.  Council will follow their legislative process and insure there are safeguards in place for the community stakeholders if legislation is introduced.”

IBEW Local 98 business manager Mark Lynch also released a statement to NBC10 showing his support for Mayor Parker’s announcement.

“IBEW Local 98 applauds Mayor Parker for having the political courage and vision to publicly state her support for the construction of 76 Place on East Market Street. Beyond the nearly 10,000 union construction jobs it will create over a decade, 76 Place will invite additional outside investment that will finally revitalize this dormant yet vital section of Center City,” Lynch’s statement said.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Economic Development told NBC10 that Wednesday’s announcement by Mayor Parker will not deter the state from persuing the 76ers.

“We have put forward a thoughtful and aggressive proposal that makes clear that Governor Murphy and leaders across the state would welcome the 76ers to Camden with open arms, and nothing announced today changes our view that the Sixers should seriously consider New Jersey for their next home. We play until the final buzzer sounds, and we look forward to continuing to make the case for Camden and the Garden State,” NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan said.

State officials from New Jersey and Delaware are also looking to have the Sixers call their state home.

A spokesperson from the New Jersey Economic Deevelopment Authority said even after today’s announcement they still welcome the Sixers to Camden with open arms, “we play until the final buzzer sounds.”

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.

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“The rendering shows the potential transformation of Camden’s waterfront at the former state prison site north of the Ben Franklin Bridge,” CEO of NJEDA Tim Sullivan said. “The proposed project is more than just a state-of-the-art arena; it’s open space, new housing, restaurants, and office space, which will help bring new, good-paying jobs to the city.”

Just a little over a week ago, Sullivan wrote a letter to the Sixers expressing “strong interest” in having the arena built in New Jersey and highlighting the possibility of up to $400 million in tax incentives should the move take place.

“Governor Murphy and our entire team know how important this decision is to the future of the franchise and Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, and we are committed to bringing the 76ers to Camden,” Sullivan stated in the letter.

Léelo en español aquí.

Gov. Phil Murphy confirmed in July that New Jersey officials were speaking with Sixers leadership about possibly relocating the team to Camden before their lease agreement expires with the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia in 2031.

“This transformational project will spur greater economic activity and a bustling, revitalized neighborhood, resulting in a major economic opportunity for Camden and its residents for years to come,” Sullivan said in a statement on Thursday, Sept. 12.

Philadelphia Sep 11

Mayor Parker holds town hall with Chinatown neighbors to discuss proposed 76 Place arena

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The Sixers currently have a practice facility in Camden which opened in 2016. Sullivan touted New Jersey’s current relationship with the team’s ownership and the state’s multiple development projects as part of his pitch.

The Sixers called New Jersey’s offer “thoughtful and compelling,” though the team is still talking to Philadelphia leaders about a new arena in the city

“The reality is we are running out of time to reach an agreement that will allow the 76ers to open our new home in time for the 2031-32 NBA season,” team spokesperson Molly Mita McEndy wrote in an email. “As a result, we must take all potential options seriously, including this one.”

This comes just one day after hundreds packed into the Convention Center in Philadelphia during a town hall meeting Mayor Cherelle Parker attended. Many were there from and in support of the Save Chinatown Coalition that has opposed the plan for the arena to be built on the border of the Chinatown neighborhood.

The project has the support of many union members in Philly who spoke about the positive impacts the arena could have on the city while preserving Chinatown.

The town hall is set to be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This comes just days after thousands of people took to the streets of Philadelphia to protest against the proposed arena.

Saturday afternoon’s rally was the latest in a series of planned demonstrations organized by the Save Chinatown Coalition.

On Monday, the coalition also delivered a birthday cake to City Hall with red icing reading: “Mayor Parker: Happy Birthday! Save Chinatown!”

Philadelphia 76ers Sep 3

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NBA Sep 3

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Members of the coalition even carried red balloons and wore Save Chinatown t-shirts, singing “Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Mayor Parker Save Chinatown! Happy birthday to you!”

If approved, the arena will stand on the border of Chinatown at the site of the current Fashion District.

Developers have claimed the privately funded project would not displace any businesses or homes in the area.

Those who oppose it have said it will cause congestion, indirect displacement and gentrification.

The Sixers already have a practice facility in Camden, New Jersey, and now, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, with the governor’s support, is trying to court them to build across the river on state land. Their pitch includes $500 million in bond incentives.

In 2022, the Sixers announced plans to build a new $1.3 billion arena called “76 Place” at Market East and Fashion District Philadelphia by the start of the 2031-32 NBA season. The team’s lease at the Wells Fargo Center at the South Philadelphia sports complex – where they’ve played since 1996 — ends in 2031.

A report from the Philadelphia Inquirer stated that Comcast Spectacor — which owns the Wells Fargo Center — presented a plan to a community group that would supplant the Sixers arena by turning the Fashion District mall into a biomedical research facility.

A spokesperson for Comcast Spectacor did not confirm the specific details of the Inquirer’s report but sent NBC10 four renderings of the company’s plan to revitalize Market East should the Sixers’ plans for 76 Place fall through.

“Our hope is that the 76ers remain in South Philadelphia as a partner in the Wells Fargo Center,” Dan Hilferty, Chairman & CEO of Comcast Spectacor, wrote. “We continue to offer the 76ers a 50/50 partnership, which includes the opportunity to build a new arena on an accelerated timeline. If the 76ers decide to stay in South Philadelphia, Comcast Spectacor recognizes there is still a need to revitalize Market East. As a long-time corporate citizen, we are committed to being part of the Market East solution and therefore we presented an alternative plan to create benefits for all community members and enhance Philadelphia’s vibrant downtown.”

The Sixers’ proposed arena has sparked resistance and protests from leadership in the city’s Chinatown community. Members of the community have said that the proposed arena could cause street parking to disappear as well as a rise in traffic. They also said it could be harder to hold festivals.

In August, the City of Philadelphia released four reports analyzing the potential impact of the Sixers proposed arena in Center City.

According to the study, the impact on Market East is “inconclusive” and with or without the arena, the area will still face challenges in terms of development. However, the report also notes the development could help reinvigorate the neighborhood if it can resolve transportation and safety issues.

As for Chinatown, the report says 1 in 5 small businesses in the neighborhood could benefit. Those businesses are mainly in entertainment, food and hospitality.

On the other hand, half of the small businesses in Chinatown would not benefit or see a negative impact, according to the report.

The report also says there will be no direct housing displacement, but there is evidence for indirect displacement of small businesses, through gentrification.

The announcement from Comcast Spectacor also comes as New Jersey continues to propose moving the Sixers to a new arena in Camden. On Monday, Tim Sullivan, the CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, wrote a letter to Tad Brown, the CEO of Sixers owner Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), highlighting the possibility of up to $400 million in tax incentives should the team move to Camden.

More than a month after Gov. Phil Murphy announced New Jersey officials were speaking with the Philadelphia 76ers about potentially moving the team to Camden, a new letter to the Sixers highlights the possibility of up to $400 million in tax incentives should the move take place.

“We believe the Aspire program, a critical component of the ERA toolkit, could support two awards of up to $400 million of tax credits: one to support an arena and ancillary infrastructure (parking, open space etc.) and one to support significant residential, retail and office development as part of a broader mixed use neighborhood development strategy with potential to transform the surrounding areas of the City,” Tim Sullivan, the CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, wrote in a letter to Tad Brown, the CEO of Sixers owner Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE). “An Aspire award supporting development of arena would be subject to a standard Net Benefit Test, ensuring that New Jersey taxpayers are more than paid back for their investment via incremental state, county and local tax revenues.”

Gov. Murphy confirmed in July that New Jersey officials were speaking with Sixers leadership about possibly relocating the team to Camden before their lease agreement expires with the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia in 2031.

In the letter, which was released on Monday, Sullivan wrote they envisioned a “multi-billion dollar privately-led comprehensive mixed-used development north of the Ben Franklin Bridge.”

“Anchored by a world-class arena, we believe that this project will enable development of significant residential, commercial, and retail offerings within the City of Camden,” Sullivan wrote.

The Sixers currently have a practice facility in Camden which opened in 2016. Sullivan touted New Jersey’s current relationship with the team’s ownership and the state’s multiple development projects as part of his pitch.

“The results of our focus on economic growth are clear: New Jersey has added more than 200,000 new jobs since 2018, (leading the Northeast in private sector job creation since 2020) and New Jersey now ranks third among American states for venture capital investment,” Sullivan wrote.

On Tuesday, Camden Mayor Victor G. Carstarphen released a statement supporting New Jersey’s efforts to relocate the Sixers.

“Thank you to Governor Phil Murphy and his team at NJEDA for promoting Camden, NJ as the prime location for a new sports and entertainment arena.  This type of large scale redevelopment would be a game-changer,” Carstarphen wrote. “This project would be a catalyst for additional development, attracting new residential and commercial investment, not to mention transforming the adjacent North Camden waterfront and neighborhood.”

Carstarphen described Sullivan’s proposed incentives as “attractive” and the offer “compelling.” He also described the proposed site in Camden.

“The parcel is owned by the state, shovel ready, and a prime location,” he wrote. “We are talking about taking vacant land which was a former prison site and turning it into a world-class sports and entertainment venue.”

NBC10 reached out to the city of Philadelphia for a response to the letter. A city spokesperson said Tuesday they had “no statement tonight.”

The talks with New Jersey come after the Sixers announced plans to build a new $1.3 billion arena in Center City titled “76 Place.” The proposal has sparked resistance and protests from leadership in the city’s Chinatown community. Members of the community have said that the proposed arena could cause street parking to disappear as well as a rise in traffic. They also said it could be harder to hold festivals.

The Sixers called New Jersey’s offer “thoughtful and compelling,” though the team is still talking to Philadelphia leaders about a new arena in the city.

“The reality is we are running out of time to reach an agreement that will allow the 76ers to open our new home in time for the 2031-32 NBA season,” team spokesperson Molly Mita McEndy wrote in an email. “As a result, we must take all potential options seriously, including this one.”

At an unrelated event in suburban Philadelphia on Tuesday, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said the team wants to remain in Philadelphia and that he hasn’t been asked for tax incentives or offered any.

“I love the Sixers,” he said. “They belong in Philadelphia.”

In August, the City of Philadelphia released four reports analyzing the potential impact of the Sixers proposed arena in Center City.

According to the study, the impact on Market East is “inconclusive” and with or without the arena, the area will still face challenges in terms of development. However, the report also notes the development could help reinvigorate the neighborhood if it can resolve transportation and safety issues.

As for Chinatown, the report says 1 in 5 small businesses in the neighborhood could benefit. Those businesses are mainly in entertainment, food and hospitality.

On the other hand, half of the small businesses in Chinatown would not benefit or see a negative impact, according to the report.

The report also says there will be no direct housing displacement, but there is evidence for indirect displacement of small businesses, through gentrification.

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As was the case last year, NBA Cup results will determine the specifics of two December regular-season games for each team. The Sixers are in East Group A of this year’s NBA Cup with the Knicks, Nets, Magic and Hornets. 

Paul George’s Sixers debut should come on Oct. 23 when the team kicks off its season by hosting the Bucks. The Sixers will make an early-season West Coast trip and play George’s former team in a Nov. 6 meeting with the Clippers. 

On Christmas, the Sixers will face the defending champion Celtics. 

Here’s the team’s entire 2024-25 schedule:  

Besides the Celtics and Nuggets, who will play two preseason games in Abu Dhabi, NBA teams are set to hold their media days on Sept. 30.

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse will then get to work with returning All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey and plenty of new pieces, including George, Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, Reggie Jackson, and rookies Jared McCain and Adem Bona.

Below are known games on the Sixers’ preseason schedule:  

• Oct. 11 against Timberwolves in Des Moines, Iowa, 7 p.m. ET 
• Oct. 12 at Celtics, 8 p.m. ET 
• Oct. 14 at Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET 
• Oct. 16 vs. Nets, 7 p.m. ET 
• Oct. 18 at Magic, 7 p.m. ET 

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Wells Fargo confirmed with NBC10 on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, that they will be removing their name from the Wells Fargo Center in 2025.

A spokesperson with the bank said that after reviewing their sponsorships, they decided to not renew their naming rights contract to the arena located in South Philadelphia.

“Wells Fargo regularly reviews and adjusts our overall sponsorship strategy,” the spokesperson said in a statement to NBC10. “As such, we have made the business decision not to renew the naming rights contract to Wells Fargo Center. We value our relationship with Comcast Spectacor and we look forward to collaborating on live entertainment and sporting events at the Wells Fargo Center through the end of our contract in August 2025.

“Wells Fargo has a long, rich history in the City of Philadelphia. Our nearly 4,000 employees across Pennsylvania make us one of the largest private employers in the area, and we remain committed to the City of Philadelphia region. Since 2020, Wells Fargo has invested more than $21 million in philanthropic giving in the City of Philadelphia and in Pennsylvania, focused on supporting affordable housing, small business, financial health, sustainability and more.”

Wells Fargo has held the naming rights for the building since 2010. It was previously known as the First Union Center, Wachovia Center and CoreStates Center.

Comcast Spectacor shared their reaction to the news with NBC10 by issuing a statement that reads, “We are grateful for our long-standing relationship with Wells Fargo and look forward to working with a new partner as we continue to bring the best sports and entertainment experience to fans in the Philadelphia region.”

Comcast owns the Wells Fargo Center building. Comcast is also the parent company of NBC10.

The 23-year-old All-Star guard’s press conference was at the Sixers training complex. New teammate Paul George will be next up at 1 p.m.

You can watch Maxey’s press conference below.

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According to the organization’s press release, Williams “died peacefully … surrounded by family” and “the cause of death was complications from viral pneumonia.”

“There is no Orlando Magic without Pat Williams,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a league release. “He was held in such high regard in the basketball community and was a friend to me and so many generations of league executives. Pat was never at a loss for a kind and supportive word and always brought great enthusiasm, energy and optimism to everything he did throughout his more than 50 years in the NBA.

“We express our heartfelt condolences to Pat’s wife, Ruth, their family and the entire Magic organization.”

Born in Philadelphia and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Williams had an extraordinarily colorful, decorated career in professional sports. He served as general manager of the Bulls, Hawks, Sixers and Magic, a franchise he founded with Jimmy Hewitt. In 2012, he received the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

His Sixers teams reached the 1977, 1980 and 1982 NBA Finals. With Moses Malone on board, they won it all in 1983. Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey called Williams “one of the all-time great general managers” in a tweet Wednesday night. 

Williams was on hand in 2023 for the 40th anniversary celebration of the ’82-83 Sixers. 

Before breaking into basketball, Williams caught at Wake Forest and played two seasons for the Miami Marlins, who were then the Philadelphia Phillies’ affiliate in the Florida State League. (Williams happened to be friends growing up with Ruly Carpenter, the Phillies’ owner and president from 1972 to 1981.) 

Williams transitioned from Marlins player to the team’s business manager. He leaned on lessons from always-promoting, open-to-anything MLB owner Bill Veeck.

“I drove up and Bill was sitting there on his porch reading a book,” Williams told The Sports Business Journal in 2013 of his first meeting with Veeck. “His shirt was off and so was his [prosthetic wooden] leg and he greeted me warmly. I left five hours later and it was the start of a 25-year friendship.”

Williams became president of the Spartanburg Phillies and was named The Sporting News’ Minor League Executive of the Year in 1967. He then joined the Sixers as the organization’s business manager, though that stint didn’t last long because Williams accepted the Bulls’ GM job at 29 years old. Former Sixers star Chet Walker helped Chicago win at least 50 games in each of Williams’ last three seasons.

When he came back to Philadelphia, Williams built a contender around superstar Julius Erving and made an enduring, wide-ranging impact with the franchise.

Williams wanted a Sixers theme song and Randy Childress, Terry Rocap and Joe Sherwood composed “Here Come the Sixers,” which fans enjoy hearing after every home victory. 

There was much to Williams beyond the songs and the stars signed. The Magic’s release notes he authored “over 100 books” and “completed 58 marathons from 1996-2011, including the Boston Marathon 13 times.” 

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Bryant was born in Philadelphia on October 19, 1954. He played for two years for the La Salle University men’s basketball team from 1973 to 1974 and averaged 20.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.

Bryant then joined the NBA and played for his hometown Philadelphia 76ers from 1975 through 1979. He was a member of the 1976-77 Sixers team that won the Eastern Conference title.

Bryant played for the San Diego Clippers from 1979 to 1982 before spending one season with the Houston Rockets. During his NBA career, Bryant, a 6-foot-9 forward, averaged 8.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He went on to play in Italy and France from 1982 to 1992.

Bryant and his family, including future NBA great Kobe Bryant, then moved to Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, where he coached the women’s varsity basketball team at Akiba Hebrew Academy from 1992 to 1993.

Bryant served as an assistant basketball coach at his alma mater from 1993 to 1996, the year his son Kobe entered the NBA draft after playing for Lower Merion High School.

The elder Bryant remained active in basketball from 2003 to 2015, coaching teams in various leagues, including the WNBA, SlamBall and the BJ League in Japan.

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The team selected Adem Bona, a Nigerian center who averaged 12.4 points and 5.9 rebounds as a UCLA sophomore, at No. 41 overall.

Bona is not a stretch five; he made no three-pointers and hit 69.6 percent of his free throws last season. He’s slightly shorter than the average NBA center — 6-8.25 without shoes at the draft combine — but has a wingspan of nearly 7-4 and is a muscular 243 pounds.

The 21-year-old drew widespread praise from draft experts for his end-to-end hustle and defensive tools. Fouls were problematic for Bona, but he averaged 1.8 blocks and 1.1 steals, flew all around the floor, and won the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award.

“Adem is a high-motor player with proven abilities as both a rim protector and switchable defender,” Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said in a team press release. “He possesses an impressive blend of size, athleticism, and defensive toughness, and we’re excited to add him to our team.”

On Day 1 of the draft, the Sixers selected Duke guard Jared McCain at No. 16. The 41st pick was their only one in the second round.

Bona will join a team set to fill out most of its roster in the coming days. Outside of occasional small-ball options like Nicolas Batum and KJ Martin, the Sixers used Paul Reed and Mo Bamba as Joel Embiid’s main backups last year. Reed played in every game of the 2023-24 season but had a subpar first-round playoff series against the Knicks. His contract is non-guaranteed (with a salary of approximately $7.7 million) for next year.

While Bona doesn’t look like an offensively talented center with the skills to play alongside Embiid, we’ll see whether he’s able to become a defensively versatile, maximum-effort backup.

Both Embiid and Bona grew up playing soccer and support English Premier League club Arsenal.

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After our look back at the top 41st selections in NBA history, here’s a rundown of the 16 best players ever taken at No. 16 (in no particular order): 

John Stockton 

Stockton followed his four years at Gonzaga by playing 19 straight for the Jazz. He remains the NBA’s all-time leader in both steals and assists.

Metta Sandiford-Artest 

The 2003-04 Defensive Player of the Year was known as Ron Artest when the Bulls drafted him 15 picks after Elton Brand. It sure wasn’t the steadiest, smoothest career, but Artest was a fantastic defender, unforgettable character and NBA champion. 

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Dana Barros 

Before Tyrese Maxey came along, Barros was the Sixers’ only Most Improved Player. The 5-foot-11 Boston College product shot 41.1 percent from three-point range in his career and knocked down nine triples vs. the Suns on Jan. 27, 1995. Danny Green and Maxey have since tied that franchise record.

Brevin Knight 

Another sub-6-foot guard here in Knight, who led the league in total steals his rookie year. He played for nine teams over his 12 seasons. 

Nikola Vučević 

The Sixers landed Vučević with the pick after Kawhi Leonard in the 2011 draft. The big man didn’t crack Doug Collins’ playoff rotation as a rookie, got traded to the Magic in the Sixers’ deal for Andrew Bynum, and eventually became a (two-time) All-Star.  

Tony Delk 

Delk went between Steve Nash and Jermaine O’Neal in the incredible 1996 draft. He split his 545-game NBA career between eight teams and dropped 53 points on Jan. 2, 2001.

Jim Price 

Price started his career playing point guard alongside Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain on the defending champion Lakers. He made an All-Star Game in 1974-75 when he averaged 16.1 points, 5.7 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 steals. 

Hedo Türkoğlu 

The NBA’s first Turkish-born player was a highly skilled 6-10 forward happy to have the ball in the clutch. Türkoğlu was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for the 2007-08 season and played a vital part in the Magic’s Eastern Conference title the next year. 

Alperen Şengün 

Turkish big man Şengün took a major leap last year in his third NBA season, displaying clever fakes, footwork and touch and averaging 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists for the Rockets. 

Swen Nater 

Nater’s remarkable story includes a stretch where he went from playing at Cypress College to backing up Bill Walton at UCLA to winning the ABA’s Rookie of the Year award. The Dutch center led the NBA with 15.0 rebounds per game in the 1979-80 season. 

Terry Rozier 

“Scary Terry” came off the bench for the first 164 games of his NBA career and then posted a triple-double in his very first start. Rozier scored 20 points per game over his four and a half years with the Hornets and is now on his third team in the Heat. 

Terry Mills 

Mills became one of the original stretch fours during his prime years with the Pistons and shot 38.4 percent behind the arc in his career. 

Rickey Green 

Known as “The Fastest of them All,” Green earned an All-Star spot in the 1983-84 season and led the NBA with 2.7 steals per game. At 36 years old, Green was the 1990-91 Sixers’ starting point guard.

Ricky Sobers 

As a rookie, Sobers featured for the 1975-76 Western Conference champion Suns (and fought Warriors superstar Rick Barry early in Game 7 of the West Finals). “The Super-Sub” averaged 13.3 points and 4.3 assists across 821 NBA games.   

Chris Gatling 

Gatling was an NBA journeyman who made an All-Star appearance in 1997. The 6-10 lefty logged 85 games — 45 with the Magic, 40 with the Nuggets— in the 1999-2000 season. 

Jusuf Nurkić 

Denver got Nurkić in a 2014 draft-night trade … and also picked fellow big man Nikola Jokić at No. 41. Nurkić topped the NBA in total rebounding percentage last year in his first season as a Sun. 

NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark first reported the news.

A source later added that Dekker was part of a workout with multiple other former NBA players, including Tony Bradley, Stanley Johnson and Jarrett Culver.

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey took the 6-foot-8 Dekker with the 18th overall pick in 2015. The Wisconsin product wound up playing 80 games for Morey’s Rockets before being dealt to the Clippers. He’s played almost entirely overseas since the 2018-19 season, though Dekker did make one regular-season appearance for the 2021-22 Raptors (under current Sixers head coach Nick Nurse). All told, Dekker has 201 NBA outings and averages of 5.4 points and 3.0 rebounds.

He’s excelled the last two years in the British Basketball League, where Nurse spent much of his time before reaching the NBA. Dekker was the league’s 2022-23 MVP, posting 17.1 points per game.

This year, Dekker earned the BBL’s playoff final MVP for a 17-point, 10-rebound performance capped by a game-winning three-pointer.

Bradley, Culver and Johnson all played in the G League last year.

Bradley is a 26-year-old big man who made 20 appearances for the 2020-21 Sixers before moving to the Thunder in the team’s trade for George Hill. He’s historically been a good rebounder who sticks to the basics, rarely attempting perimeter shots or straying from his comfort zone.

Culver was the sixth overall selection of the 2019 draft. The 6-6 wing was a regular for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers last season and averaged 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals during the G League regular season. He shot 38.0 percent from three-point range, which was easily his best mark yet as a professional.

Johnson is another former top-10 pick looking to find a way back into the NBA. He prides himself on his defense and was a member of Nurse’s 2019-20 and ’20-21 Raptors teams.

Almost nothing is certain about the Sixers’ roster at the moment beyond their plan to keep building around All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Following the Celtics’ title-clinching victory Monday night, NBA teams are formally permitted to begin negotiations with their own free agents. Teams can officially sign all free agents to contracts starting on July 6 at 12:01 p.m. ET.

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Police in Scottsdale were called to 68th Street and Chaparral Road just before 3 a.m. for reports of a disturbance, officials said.

When officers made it to the scene, they interacted with two people, police said. Officials later identified one as Cameron Payne.

Payne was arrested for not telling officers his real name as well as providing a false report to law enforcement, according to police.

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The Sixer was taken to the Scottsdale City Jail and later released, officials said.

Payne was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in February after previously playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Payne has had an up-and-down NBA career.

He had stints in the G League and the Chinese Basketball League before reviving his career in 2020 when he became a key contributor for the Phoenix Suns, helping them reach the NBA Finals in 2021.

NBC10 has reached out to the Sixers for comment and has not heard back yet.

What caliber of player can you historically find at those spots? In a literal sense, the answer at No. 41 is a three-time MVP. Nikola Jokic is clearly an outlier, but it is indeed possible to strike gold just about anywhere in the draft.

The best 41st pick ever is self-evident, but here’s an unscientific look at the top 13 of all time (in no particular order):

Nikola Jokic 

Famously drafted 10 years ago during a Taco Bell commercial, Jokic joined the Nuggets a season later. He’s racked up six All-Star selections, those three MVPs, 130 triple-doubles, and an NBA championship while tossing many casually incredible assists. 

Cuttino Mobley 

Mobley teamed up with Steve Francis in his second season and the duo formed an entertaining backcourt with the Rockets. A Philadelphia native, Mobley averaged 18.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals from the 2000-01 through ’04-05 seasons. 

Popeye Jones 

Jones’ 11-year NBA playing career included a 28-rebound performance on Jan. 9, 1996, which still stands as the Mavericks’ franchise record. He’s now an assistant coach for the Jokic-led Nuggets. 

Jodie Meeks 

Meeks got traded from the Bucks to the Sixers as a rookie and found a consistent role in Philadelphia. The Kentucky product’s last NBA action came as a member of the 2018-19 title-winning Raptors. 

Francisco Elson 

Elson just so happened to move with Meeks in that same 2010 Bucks-Sixers trade. After being drafted by Denver in 1999, the Dutch big man spent four seasons in Spain. He played six games for the Sixers at the tail end of his 472-game NBA career. 

Jawann Oldham 

Another journeyman center taken by the Nuggets, Oldham crossed paths with a young Michael Jordan on the Bulls. 

T.R. Dunn 

Drafted by the Trail Blazers in 1977, Dunn was an every-game fixture for the Nuggets at shooting guard through most of the 1980s alongside Hall of Famer Alex English. Dunn never scored much, but he made the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team on three occasions. He ranks fourth in Nuggets history in games played, eighth in offensive rebounds and second in steals. 

Tre Jones 

The 24-year-old Jones is the youngest player on our list. He’s been a steady point guard for the Spurs, averaging 11.4 points, 6.4 assists and only 1.6 turnovers over his last two seasons. 

Jerome Whitehead 

Whitehead made a buzzer-beating shot for Marquette in the Final Four and won the 1977 NCAA tournament. His most productive year of an 11-season NBA career was 1981-82, when he posted 13.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game for the San Diego Clippers. Whitehead died in 2012 at 56 years old.

Willie Green 

Acquired by the Sixers from the Sonics in a 2003 draft-night deal, Green spent his first seven NBA seasons in Philadelphia before being traded to New Orleans, where he’d one day serve as head coach. 

Pat Connaughton 

A year after going in the fourth round of the MLB draft, Connaughton went in the second round of the NBA draft. Putting up jumpers instead of throwing heaters has worked out fine for him. Connaughton played in all 23 postseason games of the Bucks’ 2021 championship run. 

Otis Smith 

Three years after being selected by the Nuggets, Smith joined the Magic through the NBA’s 1989 expansion draft. Smith retired because of knee problems in his late 20s and later became Orlando’s general manager. 

Jarred Vanderbilt 

When healthy, Vanderbilt has shown he’s an athletic, versatile, hustling player. The 2024-25 season will be his first of a four-year, $48 million extension with the Lakers.

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• Position: Shooting Guard
• Height: 6-4.25 (without shoes)
• Weight: 198 pounds 
• College: Baylor 

Ja’Kobe Walter was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year for a Baylor team that was a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and was upset in the second round by Clemson. He’s a pure two-guard and volume three-point shooter, but his poor shooting percentages at Baylor could make him available for the Sixers with the 16th pick. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.3 turnovers and 1.1 steals in 32.3 minutes per game last season.

Strengths

Walter is an excellent movement shooter. You’ll see him sprint around screens, quickly set his feet, and the shot is away before the contesting defender can reach him. The form on his shot appears effortless. 

What makes Walter especially intriguing is his ability to drive a close-out. He was one of only 14 players in Division I —and the only freshman — to make at least 75 threes and 145 free throws. He made the third-most free throws in the Big 12 because he was able to attack those close-outs and draw contact at the rim. He shot 79.2 percent from the free throw line.

Walter has big-time scoring upside when you combine his potential to become a high-volume three-point shooter and his ability to get to the free throw line at a high rate.  

Weaknesses

There are a lot of reasons why Walter may slip in the draft despite his obvious scoring upside. 

He shot 34.2 percent from the three-point line but just 37.6 percent from the field overall. He shot 42.3 percent on two-point field goals, which points to an inability to finish in the paint and an inefficient mid-range game. He’s not a high-wire athlete and is going to have to learn how to score over NBA length once he drives past his defender.

Walter didn’t show much as a playmaker at Baylor, averaging just 1.8 assists per 40 minutes. NBA teams will have to decide if Walter’s low assist rate was a function of how he was used or if he has real limitations as a playmaker.

He’s an excellent catch-and-shoot guy from three-point range, but can Walter create his own shot? Eighty-nine percent of his three-point makes were assisted.

Defensively, Walter isn’t particularly great at staying in front of opposing ball handlers. He doesn’t look like the type of defender you’d want guarding the other team’s best player. You’re more likely to be trying to hide him on a lesser perimeter player.

Fit

I won’t be surprised if Walter is one of the best three-point specialists in the NBA in a few years. He is a stellar off-ball player and a great fit next to stars who demand double teams. The issue is that he better shoot it incredibly well because he doesn’t have many other elite skills. 

He reminds me of two-guards who make their living primarily as three-point shooters — guys like Tim Hardaway Jr., Malik Beasley and Gary Trent Jr. I’ve seen him compared to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but he has a long way to go defensively to reach that ceiling.

I think the Sixers could use a bigger wing more than Walter, but his ability as a movement shooter and floor spacer undeniably makes some theoretical sense next to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. 

On social media on Wednesday afternoon, Parker announced that an arena would indeed be built for the Philadelphia 76ers in Center City.

“As your Mayor, I’m speaking from my City Hall office with a very important announcement. I am proud to share that I have made my decision, and an agreement has been reached to ensure that our Sixers are staying home,” Parker wrote on social media.

While she did not outline the exact terms of the agreement, Parker promised that it would bring “hundreds and hundreds” of jobs to Center City.

Also, she noted that her office would be “transmitting the related legislative package to our City Council of Philadelphia for its consideration where it must be approved.”

Through this agreement, Parker said the plan would bring more than $1.3 billion of private investment and will mean “hundreds of millions” in new tax revenue.

“It represents an unprecedented revival of Market Street,” she said.

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Also, Parker took a moment to direct a comment toward the residents of the city’s Chinatown neighborhood — many of whom have opposed the arena plan — to say that she wants the agreement to help the “rich and vibrant” community thrive.

“I wholeheartedly believe this is the right deal for the People of Philadelphia. To the People of Chinatown, please know that I hear you. We have the best Chinatown in the United States, and I am committed to working together to support it. I’ll have a lot more to say in a formal presentation coming soon,” Parker said.

Shortly after Parker announced that an agreement had been made, in a statement, the 76ers said they were “grateful” for the mayor’s work.

“We are grateful to Mayor Parker and her team for their time and diligence in evaluating our proposal and look forward to advancing to the next steps with City Council,” the 76ers said.

Dan Hilferty, chairman and CEO of Comcast Spectacor said, in a statement, that regardless of the outcome of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment’s — the company that owns the 76ers — negotiations, the team was always welcome to remain in South Philadelphia.

“Regardless of the outcome of the City’s negotiations with HBSE, our door will always be open for the 76ers to join us in South Philadelphia if they ever conclude that is what is best for their team,” Hilferty said. “Alongside the Phillies, we are creating the dynamic and accessible destination for sports and entertainment that will create thousands of jobs, amplify our City, and create numerous community benefits. Either way, we always want what is best for Philadelphia.”

However, following the mayor’s announcement, a statement from the Save Chinatown Coalition argued that the “fight is far from over.”

Protesters gathered at City Hall shortly after the mayor’s announcement, saying they are ready to fight for their neighborhood. They believe a new arena will destroy Chinatown, and the fabric of that community.

The Save Chinatown Coalition has been fighting for months for the neighborhood.

“If you don’t have the decency to come to our community, and look us in the eye, and talk to us, that is disrespectful, that’s extremely disrespectful,” Debbie Wei, with the Save Chinatown Coalition, said.

Some sixers fans are dreading all the commotion a move like this could bring to the city.

“Traffic is going to be terrible, so not looking forward to that. It’s going to be interesting to see how many communities that’s going to disrupt too,” one Philly resident said.

Others are standing strong with the mayor.

“Best possible place for the Sixers to be at. Stay hometown. A lot of jobs. A lot of jobs are going to open up for us. We’ve been struggling with jobs and all that so,” another man said.

“Mayor Parker still hasn’t met with Chinatown after all this time, yet feels she can have a stance on whether our community should live or die. This was never about one person, and this fight is far from over. We are going to fight this, and we are going to the mat. It’s on,” said Debbie Wei, who was described as a longtime Chinatown community member and member of the Save Chinatown Coalition.

Hours after the announcement, City Councilmember Mark Squilla released a statement that reads, “Now that the Mayor has made a decision on 76 Place, CM Squilla remains steadfast in his commitment to circulate the package of bills to all stakeholders for at least 30 days.  During this time, we expect to consider all concerns and amend the legislation as needed.  Council will follow their legislative process and insure there are safeguards in place for the community stakeholders if legislation is introduced.”

IBEW Local 98 business manager Mark Lynch also released a statement to NBC10 showing his support for Mayor Parker’s announcement.

“IBEW Local 98 applauds Mayor Parker for having the political courage and vision to publicly state her support for the construction of 76 Place on East Market Street. Beyond the nearly 10,000 union construction jobs it will create over a decade, 76 Place will invite additional outside investment that will finally revitalize this dormant yet vital section of Center City,” Lynch’s statement said.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Economic Development told NBC10 that Wednesday’s announcement by Mayor Parker will not deter the state from persuing the 76ers.

“We have put forward a thoughtful and aggressive proposal that makes clear that Governor Murphy and leaders across the state would welcome the 76ers to Camden with open arms, and nothing announced today changes our view that the Sixers should seriously consider New Jersey for their next home. We play until the final buzzer sounds, and we look forward to continuing to make the case for Camden and the Garden State,” NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan said.

State officials from New Jersey and Delaware are also looking to have the Sixers call their state home.

A spokesperson from the New Jersey Economic Deevelopment Authority said even after today’s announcement they still welcome the Sixers to Camden with open arms, “we play until the final buzzer sounds.”

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.

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This time around, the Sixers couldn’t reach a Game 7 or get past Round 1, suffering a six-game, all-consuming series defeat to the Knicks. But the Sixers didn’t wilt as they had in humiliating, season-ending losses the last two postseasons to the Celtics and Heat, nor did they collapse and blow chance after chance to beat a decidedly less talented opponent like the 2021 Hawks. 

In Nick Nurse’s first season as head coach, the Sixers played their part in a series stuffed with great games and lost it. The Knicks scored 650 total points and the Sixers scored 649.

“I just said that I was proud of them because I thought they fought,” Nurse said Thursday night following Game 6. “That’s all I’ve ever said. When we get out there, we’re going to fight no matter what the score is, if guys are out or injured. Whatever’s going on, we’ve got to go out there and fight. And they certainly did that in this series and for the majority of the season.”

Nurse always aims for high-effort, low-mistake basketball. By and large, his players were exemplary vs. the Knicks on the effort piece.

Joel Embiid averaged 33 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.5 blocks while grinding through his latest miserable mix of playoff health issues, including Bell’s palsy. With the Sixers’ season teetering over a cliff, Tyrese Maxey somehow hauled it back to solid ground with his 46-point, ultra-clutch Game 5.

Cameron Payne shifted from out of Nurse’s rotation to draining jumpers and delighting the home crowd in Game 3. Buddy Hield did the same in Game 6. Nicolas Batum and Kyle Lowry lived up to their reputations as composed, quick-thinking veterans. 

“We got better,” Lowry told reporters. “I think the guys in this locker room, they competed at a high level. The things Joel showed us in this series playing on one leg; Tyrese’s growth; (Kelly Oubre Jr.’s) toughness. I think the team just showed the competitive nature. It was fun. After 18 years, you’d think it gets easier, but it just sucks even more when you lose, especially with a great group of guys like this. It was fun to be a part of.” 

After his strong Game 5, Tobias Harris … did not go out on a high note. He was profoundly peripheral in Game 6, posting zero points on 0-for-2 shooting, four rebounds and three assists. 

Still, broadly speaking, Nurse’s team wasn’t light on scrappiness. 

“One thing I’ll say is everybody in that locker room tried,” Embiid said. “We played hard. I know it wasn’t enough, but I can tell you that everybody in that locker room cared. 

“We gave up a lot of offensive rebounds, but it’s not because we wanted to. We tried our best. At times we could’ve tried harder, but sometimes it just doesn’t work your way. But everybody in that locker room cared and everybody in that locker room wanted to win. And we tried. We played so hard and we pushed ourselves. I’m just proud of them.” 

Nurse will want greater precision and fewer botched plays in his second season. For instance, after Embiid’s layup cut New York’s lead Thursday to 114-113 with 20.8 seconds left, the Sixers didn’t manage to intentionally foul the Knicks for nearly 10 seconds. And Embiid was the one to do it, committing his sixth personal and watching the final moments from the bench. 

“I thought we started making some strides,” Nurse said. “Listen … you know some of the ups and downs. There was a time we had a whole bunch of guys out. All anyone kept talking about was Joel was out, but we had a whole fleet of guys out. And the challenge was, ‘Can we get them to a compete level? Can we go out there and compete?’ We had to raise up our level of just competing. 

“But special situations, end-of-game stuff, ATO stuff, it was just probably not as sharp as I would’ve liked to have had it, right? I think they did really (well). Even in a lot of these games, we ended up executing a lot. We got a lot of good shots … late in the game, so they were doing a lot of that off the board and they did a good job.” 

As far as the future, nothing looks very certain besides Maxey and Embiid being a brilliant duo that can get better (and needs to).

“He has a chance to do something special next year again,” Embiid said at the podium postgame, referring to the 23-year-old Most Improved Player winner on his left. “I hope he becomes All-NBA this year, but I think he can be in stuff like MVP conversations. I think he can take that next step.” 

And whatever faces surround Embiid and Maxey on the 2024-25 Sixers, we know the gist of what Nurse will push for. 

“I still think playing hard goes a long way in this league,” he said, “so we’ll keep at it.”

Down 97-90 and facing elimination at the New York Knicks on Tuesday, Maxey helped pull Philadelphia back in it to later win 112-106 in overtime.

The 23-year-old led all scorers with 46 points on 17-for-30 shooting (7-for-12 from deep) to go with nine assists and five rebounds in 52 minutes.

Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris each added 19 points as the next highest scorer for Philadelphia on the night.

With the result, the 76ers will head back home for Game 6 in another elimination game. Here are some of the best reactions to Maxey’s performance on social media:

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Game 6 of the first-round series is slated for Thursday, May 2.

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Abdelnaby sits courtside for every game as he describes the action for all who are watching on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

He is Arab and Muslim in an industry where almost no one has his same background.

“When I was young, I used to tell people my name was Al, cause I just wanted to fit in. And Alaa in 73 and 74 was just a little too different for the youngsters. Now the world has changed,” he told NBC10.

His story is like many other immigrants who come to the United States looking for a better life. Abdelnaby came to the country from Alexandria, Egypt.

He told NBC10 that he used sports for acceptance, desperately wanting to fit in with others in his school and community.

Sports is also how he first fell in love with the microphone.

“After my baseball, little league baseball games were over, I’d run up to the booth and announce the games. Yeah, and now I remember how ridiculous that is because why would you let a fifth grader in front of the mic?” he joked.

Even though his love for sports continued to grow, his mom and dad had other visions for his future. They saw him as a doctor, but as he stretched out in height to stand tall at 6 feet, Abdelnaby says they slowly allowed him to follow his dreams.

“Growing up, they didn’t come to games. They had two other kids to raise. I don’t think they even wanted to encourage me. If I came then I’m approving of this. So you go to do your thing. And at times, I wanted them there ’cause other parents were there,” he explained.

On the court, he excelled and eventually earned a scholarship to Duke University. Eventually, he was drafted in the first round by the Portland Trailblazers in 1990. But still, no matter where he went, he still felt that sense of wanting to belong.

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“I think it’s been my underlying desire all my life to fit in. I’m fortunate basketball has been a vehicle that has attracted, for the most part, people to me positively,” Abdelnaby said.

He has now found a home and enjoys the responsibility of being one of the few Arab and Muslim voices in the game of basketball.

As they say, success is a beautiful thing, and it’s safe to say that his mom and dad agree.

“They don’t miss a game to this day. When at the beginning, I couldn’t get them to one. But they embraced it wholeheartedly,” he said.

Abdelnaby is changing minds and perceptions while having no trouble fitting in anymore.

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According to a statement from David Adelman, a Philadelphia developer and co-owner of the 76ers, with the new proposal, the planners wanted to respond to community feedback.

“We have listened intently throughout the community engagement process and while we have already made many updates in response to community feedback, we are grateful for more opportunities to hear from Philadelphians about how further strengthen this project,” said David Adelman, in a statement. “We are eager to work together towards solutions for traffic concerns, showcase our vision for a street-level promenade that will activate Market Street, and show how we are addressing issues that were raised in community meetings as well as the last CDR meeting. We look forward to the continued dialogue around 76 Place and highlighting just how much the city and its residents stand to benefit from this transformative project.”

Included in the proposal are changes to closures along 10th and 11th streets — instead of there being closures pre- and post-game, the proposal would only include lane closures after games — along with added retail, food and beverage operations intended to increase foot traffic in that area year-round.

Organizers also said that they tried to make changes in response to feedback they heard at a civic design review meeting back in December.

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But, according to members of the Save Chinatown Coalition, which has been vocal in its opposition of the arena plan, the new proposal doesn’t address the most serious concerns that neighbors in the coalition have with 76 Place at Market East — it’s proposed location.

“Not a single person spoke favorably of this project in the last six hour meeting, and developers still fail to address the most persistent public feedback on 76 Place: it’s in the wrong location,” Vivian Chang, Executive Director of Asian Americans United and member of the Save Chinatown Coalition said in a statement. “With 76 Place developers’ baseless assumptions about fans’ change in travel, significant street closures, and refusal to answer who will pay for needed changes to infrastructure and SEPTA, this document raises more questions than answers.”

Organizers expect to receive further input on the plan at a second civic design review meeting on April 2, 2024 at 9:30 a.m..

During the meeting, members of the public will be invited to, as noted by organizers, “hear from members of the development team and experts who will provide updates on the proposal, including changes made in response to feedback from the CDR meeting in December 2023.”

Those interested can register to attend the meeting over Zoom and submit concerns to the civic design review committee.

More information can be found at: www.phila.gov/departments/philadelphia-city-planning-commission/public-meetings.

New York secured a split by crushing the Sixers on Tuesday night, earning a 106-79 win and moving to 38-27 this season.

Josh Hart notched a big-time triple-double with 20 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists. Jalen Brunson had 20 points and nine assists.

Kelly Oubre Jr. tallied 19 points and six rebounds. Tyrese Maxey scored 17 points and dished out four assists.

The 36-29 Sixers were without Joel Embiid (left knee meniscus procedure), De’Anthony Melton (lumbar spine bone stress) and Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise).New York’s Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson remained out. 

Embiid, who’s been sidelined since the Sixers’ Jan. 30 loss to the Warriors, said on Feb. 29 that he plans to return this season. Asked pregame Tuesday if he had any updates on Embiid’s progress, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse didn’t share much.

“Not really as far as his return,” Nurse said. “I think it’s been pretty widely reported that he has been on the court. I haven’t seen him for a few days.” 

The Sixers will travel to Milwaukee and face the Bucks on Thursday night. They dropped to seventh in the Eastern Conference standings Tuesday with the Pacers’ win over the Thunder.

Here are observations on the Sixers’ blowout loss to the Knicks:

Maxey the only Sixer on the money in early going

Maxey came back after missing the past four games because of a concussion. OG Anunoby also returned from an extended absence with an elbow injury. 

Anunoby hit a baseline jumper over Tobias Harris on his first shot and the Knicks were the sharper team to start. Mo Bamba came out high to defend Brunson in the pick-and-roll and the Knicks’ All-Star guard passed to Isaiah Hartenstein, who rumbled in for a dunk.

Fresh off a 79-73 victory Sunday, the Sixers welcomed Maxey’s considerable scoring ability. He brought that to the table almost immediately, hitting his first three field goals and posting 10 first-quarter points. The 23-year-old got his first bucket when the Sixers ran a nicely executed stack pick-and-roll and Kyle Lowry found Maxey for a top-of-the-key three. 

“His personality, his energy on and off the basketball court, he’s good for this team and this team needs him — especially what he does on the court for us,” Buddy Hield said. “It was just good to see him out there being himself.”

Besides Maxey’s play, almost nothing from the first quarter was positive for the Sixers. After an Oubre turnover led to a transition Brunson triple, Nurse used his second timeout less than six minutes into the game. The Knicks built their lead as high as 14 points in the first period. 

“It starts with competing, physicality and execution,” Nurse said. “And we did not start the game with any of those three things. Got to have all three of them, especially against a team that’s pissed off that you just beat ‘em. You’re going to have to take that up a notch. We didn’t learn that very good.”

Over their last three games, the Sixers combined to start 3 for 38 from three-point range — 1 for 19 vs. the Pelicans, 0 for 9 in the mini-series opener, and 2 for 10 Tuesday.

Maxey provided both of those makes in his return. He said he was “definitely tired” following his first stint but felt “pretty good” in general.

“There’s a lot of different steps — working out by myself, 1-on-1, then being able to do a full-contact practice,” Maxey said. “And I had to run on the treadmill at the beginning of it.

“It was difficult. That was my first time having a concussion and I never knew what it felt like. It was a weird feeling — a very weird feeling — but I’m glad that I can be back out there with my guys.”

Harris drifts through two-point night

To no one’s surprise, the Knicks drained significantly more contested jumpers than on Sunday. Alec Burks’ mid-range pull-up gave New York a 36-21 lead. 

The Sixers made an 8-0 run back that included Maxey’s 1,000th career assist, but the Knicks didn’t let them seize any meaningful momentum. Following back-to-back Brunson threes, Hartenstein converted a third-chance layup. Nurse didn’t hide his frustration on the sideline. 

Brunson kept on rolling and the Sixers’ poor first half didn’t get any better. Nurse stuck with a nine-man rotation, removing KJ Martin and playing Hield off the bench for a second consecutive game. Martin checked in at the 10:35 mark of the fourth quarter, which was essentially garbage time.

Harris was peripheral and deeply ineffective overall, recording two points on 1-for-6 shooting, three rebounds and one assist.

As Nurse has noted previously, the Sixers need Harris to be helpful in other areas when he’s not delivering his usual production and efficiency as a scorer.

“For myself personally, just got to make the shots,” Harris said. “It’s five shots I missed that I’ve got to make. Outside of that, still got to figure out ways on (defense) to be effective for our group — getting deflections, creating some energy and momentum plays. And on the other end, just take what the defense gives you and convert on some more looks.”

It’s fine if the Sixers’ offense doesn’t run as much through Harris when he’s being double teamed in the post or guarded by a great defender such as Anunoby. It’s also normal to have occasional cold shooting patches. However, the Sixers can’t afford for Harris to drift through long stretches of games (or entire games, for that matter), especially against an intense, high-energy opponent like the Knicks. 

Asked if he’s considered bringing Harris off the bench, Nurse said, “Nope, not yet.”

No drama about season series outcome

Down as many as 21 points in the second quarter, the Sixers began the third well and cut their deficit to 61-51 on a Maxey three. 

They didn’t capitalize on a couple of chances to draw closer. Bamba failed to slam home a dunk, Maxey couldn’t convert a put-back layup, and Harris missed from close range. 

A few minutes later, Hart reached his triple-double by finding Brunson cut free for a layup. The Knicks’ advantage soon swelled to 28 points on a breakaway Anunoby dunk. 

Though New York got plenty of strong performances, the Sixers’ defensive level also dipped dramatically. Their offense was seriously out of sync during an abysmal period late in the third quarter, too. They struggled with many fundamentals — cleanly executing called plays, properly spacing the floor, taking reasonable shots. Contested mid-range jumpers by Paul Reed and Cameron Payne bailed them out of two disjointed possessions. 

“Every little exchange we made, (the Knicks) were right in it, pushing up the floor,” Nurse said. “They were over the top of screens. We weren’t doing a good job of screening on the ball. We weren’t doing a very good job of separating on our screen-and-rolls. But mostly we just couldn’t get them set because of the physicality.”

With victories by 36 and 27 points this year over the Sixers, the Knicks thoroughly deserved their 3-1 regular-season series win.

“It’s a matter of us deciding we’re going to be tougher and go out there and compete,” Nurse said. “We’ve got to really lace ‘em up, and get ready to get into people and be physical.

“It’s disappointing to be sitting here tonight, because we’d made some huge strides in the last six quarters. So now we’re going to have to go back and try to rally ‘em up again.”

“My All-Star coach?” Tyrese Maxey said with a laugh after the Sixers’ win over the Cavs.

Indeed, Doc Rivers — current Bucks head coach, former Sixers coach, winner of 1,101 NBA games — is returning to familiar territory. His presence is one of several subplots that make Sixers vs. Bucks an especially intriguing matchup.

“I’m not going to be worried about it too much,” Maxey said. “Of course, knowing me, I’m going to make some jokes with him and laugh a little bit. But honestly, I’m focused on the task at hand. 

“Like I keep saying, every game is so important to us, we don’t have time to focus on that right now. We have to focus on the Milwaukee Bucks. We have to focus on Giannis (Antetokounmpo), (Damian Lillard) … all those guys — (Patrick Beverley). And focus on what we have going on in-house. It’s going to be great.”

Though Joel Embiid remains out following a left knee meniscus procedure, the Sixers should be relatively healthy.

Robert Covington (out with a left knee bone bruise) and KJ Martin (probable because of a right ankle injury) were the only two other players listed on the team’s Saturday night injury report. De’Anthony Melton is back in the fold, Kyle Lowry is set to play his second game as a Sixer, and Nicolas Batum will presumably fill a larger role than the late-game inbounding specialist job he had against Cleveland. 

Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton is out because of a sprained left ankle. Antetokounmpo was listed as probable with right knee patellar tendinitis. 

Former Buck Cameron Payne is coming off of a strong 16-point performance Friday night. New Buck Patrick Beverley will be facing the team that just dealt him away in exchange for Payne and a second-round pick. 

“I respect it,” Beverley said on his podcast shortly after the trade. “Doc came and got his guy — me. (Sixers head coach Nick Nurse) went and got his guy — Kyle. Now I see Nurse’s hand. Man, I’m on Kyle’s ass when we play Philly. Straight up. That’s just how it goes. That’s just how it goes. Like how dare you? But say less.” 

Lowry didn’t take any offense to that comment, but he’ll certainly plan to match (or somehow exceed) Beverley’s intensity. 

“I like Pat,” Lowry said Wednesday. “I think Pat is the ultimate competitor. He’s one of those guys that gets fiery. His podcast is great. I’m not a podcast watcher, but he’s a friend of mine and that’s his competitive nature. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to play against him, as always. That’s just basketball. It’s competitive nature.” 

Clearly, Beverley will be in the spotlight Sunday. While he’s averaged just 14.9 minutes thus far in his five games with the Bucks, the Sixers can speak to the 35-year-old point guard providing value well beyond the numbers. 

Preseason ejections and attention-catching podcasting candor aside, Beverley had an impactful stint in Philadelphia. 

“I talk to him all the time,” Maxey said. “Sometimes when I’m playing Call of Duty he joins my party, talks noise. He’ll shoot me a text or he’ll slide up in one of my Instagram stories and say something about how he’s going to lock me up or whatever.

“I love Pat Bev, though. Honestly, that just comes with the business. It sucks. You get close to people. But I think those are lifelong friendships. He’s made it to where I can call him if I need anything, and I definitely will do that. We’ll definitely chop it up. I’m pretty sure he’s going to bring high energy; we know who Pat Bev is. And I’m pretty sure he’ll bring us a lot of laughs and a lot of joy.”

The game itself should be plenty interesting, too. 

The Sixers are fifth in the Eastern Conference standings and determined to avoid the play-in tournament picture while Embiid rehabs. Milwaukee is third in the East and 4-7 under Rivers following a road win Friday over the Timberwolves.

Nurse is early in the process of figuring out lineups, rotations, schemes and late-game execution with the latest version of his team. Sunday’s game should be the first time that guards Maxey, Melton, Lowry, Payne and Buddy Hield are all available. 

The man Nurse replaced will game plan against Maxey. 

“I appreciate Doc,” Maxey said. “I really do. One thing I do appreciate him for is early in my career, like in my rookie year, he made me earn my spot. And that’s going to go a long way for me. I feel like I was good enough to play, but he was able to humble me and make me earn my spot.

“I’ll never forget he told me I was going to win a playoff game for us — midway through the season, after I didn’t play for like two and a half weeks. I was like, ‘Me? How am I going to win a playoff game? I don’t play.’ 

“But he told me that. He called me up and said, ‘You’re going to win some playoff games for us,’ and I did. And from there on out, it was great. … I have no complaints or nothing. I appreciate him.” 

The celebration kicked off Thursday morning with a pop-up pep rally featuring the Philadelphia 76ers mascot, Franklin and Sqaud 76.

“This is part of an ongoing partnership between the two organizations that includes the Market as inspiration for this season’s City Edition jersey and the 76ers supporting several Market merchants as part of their Spirit of Small Business program, presented by Fulton Bank,” event organizers said in a news release.

Philadelphia Feb 20

WWE fans can enter whole new ‘World' at WrestleMania-themed fan fest

Philadelphia Feb 6

76er Tyrese Maxey surprises kids with $500 shopping spree

Additionally, those who attended the big celebration received free merchandise and sweet treats.

The Reading Terminal Market opened in 1893 and has been a Philadelphia staple ever since.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Rivers proceeded to take no accountability at all for the loss, laying it squarely at the feet of his players.

Wow. That’s an elite level of blame-ducking by Rivers. One question: whose job is it to keep the players’ heads in the game, when it seems their collective attention may be straying? Feel like that could be the head coach of the team, but what do I know?

Rivers has taken a healthy team with the second-best record in the NBA, and has quickly converted them into a squad in free fall. The Sixers haven’t exactly been setting the world on fire during that time frame, but there is at least one very valuable extenuating circumstance involved.

In any case, NBA Twitter (X, whatever) is having an absolute field day at Rivers’ expense.

Say what you want about the Sixers’ playoff collapses during the Doc Rivers era, but Rivers deserves a good bit of the blame for each one. You can also argue that he stunted Tyrese Maxey’s growth as a pro, due in large part to his resistance to giving young players opportunities.

Sixers fans as a collective were happy to see Rivers take control of the Bucks a month ago. They believed that he wouldn’t do much to get this team to play to its potential. So far, it turns out their premonitions were dead on.

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Still, there’s obviously a lot left to do. 

At his first deadline since agreeing to a contract extension through the 2027-28 season, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey made four trades. 

In addition to much maneuvering with second-round draft picks, Morey traded away Patrick Beverley, Jaden Springer, Danuel House Jr., Marcus Morris Sr and Furkan Korkmaz. 

He brought in Buddy Hield and Cameron Payne.

The specifics of the second-rounders matter, but they’re not the most important aspect of Morey’s deadline work. He’ll instead be judged by the way Hield performs, how the Sixers navigate the buyout market, and whether the vast options available next offseason yield great results. 

As was the case with Jalen McDaniels at last year’s trade deadline, Hield has never appeared in an NBA playoff game. That fact of course does not negate the many valid reasons to think Hield could do quite well in Philadelphia. He can sprint around a variety of off-ball screens, trouble defenses with savvy relocation, hurt opponents off dribble handoffs, and nail all kinds of three-pointers. 

Hield averaged 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists last year, shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range. His playing time and long-distance percentage have both dropped a tad this season, but he’s surely still in his prime at 31 years old and capable of meaningfully boosting the Sixers’ offense. Regardless, he’ll attract valuable attention from defenses. 

Payne is a veteran backup point guard who accumulated plenty of high-pressure reps the last three seasons with the Suns.

Beyond those two pickups, what’s to come? 

Once all the trades are official, the Sixers will have just 12 standard contract roster players. And among the dozen, Joel Embiid (left knee meniscus surgery), Nicolas Batum (left hamstring strain), De’Anthony Melton (lumbar spine stress response) and Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise) are all out. Melton has been running through on-court drills in recent days, but it’s not known yet when he’ll return. Covington, who’d been experiencing intermittent left knee swelling, clearly has a significant injury. 

“Not much light at the end of that tunnel,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said Sunday. 

So, as the buyout market materializes, Nurse has to keep patching together a team that’s slid to seven losses in its last eight games.

With their three open roster spots, the Sixers feel they’ve put themselves in a good position to be competitive and opportunistic on the buyout market, according to a team source. We’ll see whether Nurse is reunited soon with Kyle Lowry, his title-winning, Philadelphia native point guard from the 2018-19 Raptors. Marc Stein reported Lowry is the Sixers’ “top priority in the buyout market if Lowry indeed negotiates his release from Charlotte.” Center is among the other positions it would be nice to supplement. 

Back in December, when Embiid’s dominance was guaranteed and his health wasn’t cause for deep concern, Morey indicated he’d aim to strengthen the Sixers’ roster this season around the reigning MVP. The buyout market will be the last window for him to accomplish that. 

“We think this year is extremely key,” Morey said at the time. “Obviously we can’t force any sort of trade that might help the team. But if all else is equal, we would like to do something earlier.

“You don’t get many chances to have a player like Joel playing at MVP-plus level, to have a young, up-and-coming player like Tyrese (Maxey) who just continues to improve day by day, and then just a whole bunch of really solid guys like (Batum) playing at a high level and helping us win. … There’s a lot of good indicators that we’ve put ourselves in the spot that we can really win it this year. And so if there’s something this year, we’ll do it this year — because we don’t think this year can be taken for granted.”

Whatever one makes of his 2024 deadline deals, Morey’s upcoming summer should be full of possibilities. Embiid is the only Sixer with a guaranteed contract for the 2024-25 season. Paul Reed’s $7.7 million salary for next year will also become fully guaranteed if the team advances to the second round of the playoffs. That’s it, which means the Sixers will presumably be able to chase stars, offer big-money contracts, and completely transform their team.

However, there’s the second half of this season to play first.

A lot still needs to happen — Embiid recovering in time for the postseason; Hield elevating the offense; Morey expertly handling the buyout market — for it to turn out well. 

They addressed that weakness by acquiring Buddy Hield from the Pacers.

The Sixers on Thursday night announced the exact details of the deal, which grew to include the Spurs:

“To complete the trade, Philadelphia sent Furkan Korkmaz, a 2024 second-round pick ((a) most favorable of Toronto’s own and (b) most favorable of (i) Indiana’s own and (ii) least favorable of Utah/Cleveland), Portland’s 2029 second-round pick and cash considerations to Indiana. The 76ers also traded Marcus Morris Sr., the LA Clippers’ 2029 second-round pick and cash considerations to San Antonio. The Spurs sent Doug McDermott to Indiana.”

Morris is expected to be waived or bought out, according to the San Antonio Express-News’ Jeff McDonald. Indiana is waiving Korkmaz, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

The 31-year-old Hield has long been a high-volume, high-level three-point shooter. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard is already 22nd in NBA history with 1,842 made threes. He’s hit 40.1 percent of his career three-point attempts.

Severely shorthanded over the past couple of weeks and struggling to generate offense with Joel Embiid sidelined by a left knee meniscus injury, the Sixers have regularly conceded major advantages to their opponents behind the arc. According to Cleaning the Glass, they rank last in the NBA in three-point frequency.

Hield has taken 9.6 threes per 36 minutes this season, which ranks eighth in the league. He played in every one of Indiana’s first 52 games and averaged 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

Morris and Korkmaz are both on expiring contracts. So is Hield, who has a salary of approximately $18.6 million this year.

The 34-year-old Morris ultimately appeared in 37 games for his hometown team. Korkmaz, who’d been outside of Sixers head coach Nick Nurse’s full-strength rotation this season, was the team’s longest-tenured player besides Embiid.

As they move forward without their superstar big man, the Sixers will hope Hield can make life significantly easier for first-time All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey.

In a story by The Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak, Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell called Hield “underrated” as a “cutter and mover and passer.” 

“To the normal person, I don’t think they realize how important Buddy Hield is to what we do,” McConnell said. “Even if he’s not shooting the ball. The attention he brings — and they can get messed up on defense — he’s the best in the league at it. We love having him out there.”

Ahead of this year’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline, we’re tracking Sixers-related rumors and deals.

Agreed-upon Sixers trades and other significant deadline-day action are at the top and italicized. Rumors and minor moves before that are detailed chronologically below.

Sixers acquire Buddy Hield, source confirms to NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers sorely needed more outside shooting before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.

They’re addressing that weakness by acquiring Buddy Hield.

A source confirmed Thursday morning to NBC Sports Philadelphia that the team is adding Hield in a trade with the Pacers and sending Marcus Morris Sr., Furkan Korkmaz and three second-round picks to Indiana. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported those terms.

Patrick Beverley to the Bucks, Cameron Payne to the Sixers

The Sixers swapped backup point guards with Milwaukee and also received the Bucks’ 2027 second-round pick.

Sixers trade Danuel House Jr., second-round pick to Pistons

House and a 2024 second-round selection are heading to Detroit, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia. Wojnarowski first reported the trade and The Athletic’s Shams Charania later reported that the Pistons waived House.

The move creates further space for the Sixers to potentially sign players in the buyout market.

ESPN: Jazz-Raptors trade sending Kelly Olynyk to Toronto

Utah is finalizing a trade that will deal Olynyk and and second-year shooting guard Ochai Agbaji to the Raptors in exchange for Kira Lewis, Otto Porter Jr. and a 2024 first-round pick, ESPN reported.

Olynyk is a skilled big man who’d previously played under Sixers head coach Nick Nurse with Team Canada.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania: Knicks get Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks in deal with Detroit

Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn and two second-rounders are going to the Pistons in this trade, per Charania.

As chronicled below, the Sixers reportedly had interest in both Burks and Bogdanovic.

Wojnarowski: Thunder trade for Gordon Hayward

OKC is acquiring the 33-year-old forward from Charlotte and sending Tre Mann, Davis Bertans, Vasilije Micic (who the Sixers selected back in the 2014 NBA draft) and draft compensation to the Hornets, ESPN reported.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski: Sixers will ‘continue to be buyers’

According to Wojnarowski, the uncertainty surrounding when Joel Embiid might return from a left knee meniscus procedure has not led the Sixers to take a cautious deadline approach.

“The Sixers are very much weighing the possibility that Joel Embiid does return this season, that they can still play with him as their centerpiece,” Wojnarowski said on Tuesday afternoon. “And because of that, they’re going to continue to be buyers at this trade deadline. I think they’re trying to improve themselves on multiple fronts.

“Perhaps is there a backup center who can help carry them here in the short term? … They’re in fifth place right now in the East. They’re (2.5) games up on Indiana. What Philly would like to be able to do is stay at least in sixth place, not drop out into the play-in (tournament), and see if they can maintain that until Joel Embiid gets back. … If they can have (Embiid) healthy in the playoffs or healthy enough, they want to have a group around him that gives them a chance.” 

Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer: Buddy Hield and Bojan Bogdanovic are Sixers trade targets

Fischer named Pacers wing Hield and Pistons forward Bogdanovic as pre-deadline targets for the Sixers.

Both players are accomplished three-point shooters. Over the last two seasons, Hield has attempted 7.8 threes per game and converted 41.1 percent. Bogdanovic has taken 6.4 triples per game across the past two years and made 41.3 percent.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst: Expecting Sixers to make moves

Windhorst indicated on The Hoop Collective podcast (published Wednesday morning) that he anticipates Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey will have an active stretch leading into the deadline.

“I would expect Philly to make one to three trades before Thursday afternoon,” Windhorst said. “And I would also expect them to try — I’m not saying they’re going to accomplish this — I would expect them to try to acquire players that either have expiring contracts, or that have next-year salaries that aren’t fully guaranteed, or that could easily be offloaded. I think they want to hedge their bets, not just with Embiid’s injury, but hedge their bets on what happens with this season so that if they need to go back and open up the $50 million in cap room that they’re currently holding, they can.

“They have a whole bunch of guys with expiring contracts. The most likely guys to go are Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Furkan Korkmaz … maybe Danuel House, if you get down the list. … So you’re talking about targeting a guy like Bruce Brown — team option (next season); targeting a guy like Bojan Bogdanovic. … They’re going to try to get maybe a backup center who can maybe play center minutes.

“So you’re talking about potentially a guy like Kelly Olynyk, who’s in the last year of his deal … Andre Drummond, who’s in the last year of his deal. … Philly has three tradable (first-round picks), six tradable seconds, so we’ll see if they have to attach anything to any of that.”

The Stein Line’s Marc Stein: Sixers have ‘registered interest’ in Drummond

Stein firmly linked the Sixers to Drummond, who’s fresh off a 16-point, 16-rebound, four-block performance in a Bulls victory over the Timberwolves.

“The 76ers, I’m told, have indeed registered interest in Chicago’s Andre Drummond, joining the likes of Boston and Dallas,” Stein reported Wednesday.

Drummond played 49 games for the 2021-22 Sixers before being “blindsided” that he was included in the team’s deal to acquire James Harden.

Sixers’ health woes still present 

The health problems for the Sixers currently on the roster have not subsided.

With six losses in their past seven games, the Sixers listed Tyrese Maxey (illness), House (right foot soreness) and Morris (left foot plantar fasciitis) as questionable for their Wednesday night matchup vs. the Warriors.

Embiid, De’Anthony Melton, Nicolas Batum and Robert Covington remain out.

ESPN: Jazz trading Simone Fontecchio to Pistons

Per Wojnarowski, Detroit is adding Italian wing Fontecchio and sending out Kevin Knox, a 2024 second-round pick, and the draft rights to Gabriele Procida.

The Pistons and Jazz are clearly still teams to keep tabs on at the deadline.

Wojnarowski: Celtics picking up Xavier Tillman

Boston is acquiring Tillman from the Grizzlies and enhancing its frontcourt depth, ESPN reported Wednesday. The Celtics are reportedly giving Memphis two second-round picks in the trade.

Sixers blown out by Warriors

Maxey was ultimately available, but he scored just 12 points and the Sixers dropped to 30-20 with a 127-104 defeat to Golden State. Their lost home win was the night of Embiid’s 70-point performance back on Jan. 22.

PHLY Sports’ Kyle Neubeck: Sixers have made calls on Malcolm Brogdon, Bogdan Bogdanovic

Neubeck reported Wednesday night that the Sixers have “made inquiries” about the Trail Blazers’ Brogdon and “made exploratory calls” on the Hawks’ Bogdanovic. 

Of course, the Sixers’ interest is only part of what matters here. Neubeck wrote that, “As of now … Brogdon appears to be staying in Portland, with the Blazers content to hold onto Brogdon unless they are bowled over with an offer.”

As for Bogdanovic, “the Hawks are said to be asking for a heavy premium to even consider moving him, with Bogdanovic locked in on a team-friendly deal through 2025-26 (with a club option for 2026-27).” 

Wojnarowski: Sixers-Pistons talks on Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanovic ‘largely broke down’

Burks was a deadline pickup for the Sixers four years ago in a trade with the Warriors. The veteran guard’s name is in the mix again, though Wojnarowski reported Sixers-Pistons discussions haven’t been fruitful.

“They’re really trying hard,” Wojnarowski said in the wee hours of Thursday morning. “Philly, one team that they had a lot of conversation with (was) Detroit — Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanovic. I’m told that those talks largely broke down this evening, but Philly is all over the map — trying to get some size, trying to get some shooting, some playmaking. … They’re going to be really active. I think they’ll make moves. It’ll be a question of how significant they are.”

NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson: Bulls wants to ‘remain competitive,’ but Sixers ‘the team to watch’

The Bulls are ninth in the Eastern Conference, meaning they’d be a play-in tournament team for a second straight year if the season ended today.

With Zach LaVine having opted for season-ending foot surgery, we’ll see whether Chicago shifts its stance at all on players like DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso.

Read more

Which areas could slumping Sixers most use help before deadline?

Extended Embiid absence has major implications on style of playoff, playoff picture, more

Springer, and Martin two of the most interesting Sixers as deadline approaches

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Maxey partnered with the store SNIPES to give ten kids $500 to shop the entire store located on Cottman Avenue for an hour starting at 3 p.m.

“I really do appreciate the city of Philadelphia,” Maxey said to reporters at the event.

The South Philadelphia-based organization Unity in the Community was behind Tuesday’s event as Maxey helped each kid shop and fill up their bags with products.

Feb 5

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Feb 1

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Jan 30

Tyrese Maxey jersey sales near the top of the charts

Unity in the Community works to bring anti-violence programs to kids in the city.

Earl “The Twirl” Cureton, who won two NBA championships in 12 seasons in the league, has died. He was 66.

Cureton, who served as a community ambassador for the Detroit Pistons for the last 10 years, passed away “unexpectedly” on Sunday morning, according to a release from the Pistons. No other information was provided by the team.

“Earl was one of the most generous, positive and caring people I knew,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said. “He was a loving father, devoted to his family, and I was honored to be his friend. He was a champion as a player and an important ambassador in our community. We are heartbroken over his loss.”

The 6-foot-9 Cureton began his collegiate career with Robert Morris before transferring to Detroit Mercy for his final two seasons under then-coach Dick Vitale. The Detroit native was selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 1979 NBA draft.

Cureton averaged 5.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 674 NBA games. He played for Philly, Detroit, Chicago, the Los Angeles Clippers, Charlotte, Houston and Toronto. He was part of championship teams with the 1982-83 76ers and 93-94 Rockets.

The Sixers said the team and NBA as a whole mourned Cureton.

“He was a champion and steward of our game,” the team wrote on a post on X. “He will be sorely missed.”

He also coached in the NBA, United States Basketball League and Continental Basketball Association after his playing career.

“He was a tremendous teammate, tough competitor, a champion and a great human being,” former Pistons guard Isiah Thomas said in the team’s release. “Earl always held the Detroit community close to his heart and worked tirelessly to make a difference for the city he loved. He will be greatly missed.”

Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups took the news of his former teammate’s death hard.

“He was just a beautiful dude,” Billups said before the Trail Blazers’ game in Denver on Sunday night. “I spent a lot of time with him in Detroit, obviously. Just a big teddy bear. Always so fun. He had one of those infectious laughs where whenever he laughed he made everybody laugh. Never had a bad day, ever. I marvel at guys like that, people like that. The world can be really rough and tough and they never see it that way, you know? And I loved that about him. Every time I’d go to Detroit, I’d give him a big hug. So, that was tough news today.”

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They’ve achieved all of that despite defensive rebounding woes. 

As of Thursday night, the Sixers ranked last in the NBA in defensive rebounding rate since Jan. 1, according to Cleaning the Glass. Sixers opponents have rebounded 36.4 percent of their misses during that seven-game stretch. Nikola Jokic grabbed 11 offensive boards Tuesday. 

“The defensive rebounding is the (area) that’s taken the biggest hit,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said following practice Thursday. “The offensive rebounding has dropped a bit, but it’s still pretty productive. I think we’ve done a better job here recently of not over-crashing — or at least having a balance with the crash and get back combination. … We gave up a few too many transition buckets, but we’ve cleaned that up a little bit. 

“I’m OK with the offensive (rebounding); I’d like it to be better. The defensive (rebounding) has to be better.”

Though Nurse opted not to reveal all his thoughts on the Sixers’ recent rebounding dip, he sounded optimistic that the numbers would soon improve. 

“As usual, it needs a little bit of investigation,” he said. “There is a lot of good news on that front, but I think I’ll keep that to myself. There’s a lot more long ones. We’ve just got to do a better job of reacting to the next play. We always say, ‘Tag somebody’ — that’d be the blocking out part — and then pursue. We’re doing a decent job of tagging and we’re not pursuing. 

“It’s kind of like two plays, right? … And you try to anticipate when it is a miss and when it’s going long. Now your tag is over with and it turns into a footrace a lot of times. So that’s what we’re trying to work on.”

Next up for the Sixers are the 22-19 Magic, who have been a top-10 offensive rebounding team this season.

De’Anthony Melton (lumbar spine stress response), Robert Covington (left knee inflammation) and Mo Bamba (right knee inflammation) will remain out for Friday’s game in Orlando. 

Covington didn’t join the Sixers on the road, but Nurse noted he hasn’t experienced “any swelling in the last three or four days.” 

“He is doing a lot of stuff now, so I would say (his return) should be right around the corner,” Nurse said of Covington, whose last appearance was on Dec. 30. “We’re hoping to get a good eval after this trip, and hopefully he’ll be ready to go by then. That’s hopeful.”

The Sixers listed Jaden Springer as questionable because of right ankle tendinitis. Danuel House Jr. was a full practice participant after sitting out the Denver game with a lumbar spine contusion. 

Joel Embiid practiced and looks like he’ll be good to go for the first game of the Sixers’ back-to-back. The team will finish its brief trip Saturday night against the Hornets. Embiid scored 42 points in three quarters and the Sixers won by a historic 53 when they visited Charlotte in December.

While the Sixers’ win Tuesday over the Nuggets was obviously a high-quality one, they’ve shifted their focus. 

“It’s the NBA, man,” Marcus Morris Sr. said. “You’ve got so many damn games. To me, I don’t look at it as a statement win. I think, ‘OK, it’s the champs. We played well.’ I think it’s just challenging ourselves and being ready to play with whoever’s out there on the court.”

Nikola Jokic had a very solid game as well, leading the team with 25 points and pulling down 19 boards. But Embiid’s big game on a big stage stole the show, although he downplayed his pursuit of the second consecutive MVP after the game.

Embiid may not want to talk about it, but they’re still going to give out a Michael Jordan Trophy at the end of the season, and once again he is right in the middle of the conversation. Where does he rank?

Here is our MVP countdown:

7. Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers

Haliburton continues to improve every year, and if that trend continues, the sky’s the limit for the 23-year-old guard. He is the star of the highest-scoring team in the NBA, leading them in scoring (23.6 ppg) and leading the league in assists (12.5 per game). All that while shooting nearly 50% from the floor and more than 40% from beyond the arc. The team’s record is probably the only negative you can find on Haliburton to this point.

6. Luka Doncic, Mavericks

Luka is having a great season, sitting second in scoring behind Embiid (33.6) and third in assists per game (9.2) and third in triple doubles (seven). Doncic returned from missing Mavericks’ last three games with a sprained ankle last night against the Lakers, finishing with 33/13/10.

5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks

I feel like most NBA fans take Giannis for granted, since he’s been so good for so long. Just another year in the top five in scoring and rebounding for the 2-time MVP. Dropped 64 on the Pacers last month – on 28 shots! One of ten players to average a steal and a block per game. Oh, and the Bucks have the second-best record in the East to boot. Bringing in Damian Lillard has done nothing to slow him down.

4. Jayson Tatum, Celtics

The leading scorer on the team with the best record in the NBA still means something, at least on this list. Tatum has had a very strong season and is a picture of consistency; 32 games with at least 20 points, and Boston is a ridiculous 27-5 when he gets to 20. The Cs could build some distance between themselves and the rest of the East with eight of their next 11 games at home.

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder

SGA is shining for the up-and-coming Thunder as a truly unique player. He ranks fourth in the league in scoring (31.2) while shooting fewer threes than virtually every guard in the game. He’s a kamikaze, leading the league in drives per game (22.5) and one of the best midrange shooters in the league, hitting on 52.6% of his shots from 8-16 feet. He’s also leading the league in steals (2.3).

2. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets

For the third straight season, you can argue Embiid over Jokic or vice versa for MVP. The 2-time MVP is averaging nearly a triple double, ranking fourth in the league in both rebounds (11.9) and assists (9.1). It’s minor, but here is what tipped the scales for me: watching the final moments of Tuesday’s game against the Sixers, HC Mike Malone pulled out Jokic for a defensive possession. If you’re an MVP candidate, why would you need to come out of a game in the dying moments of a game still in the balance? A player subbed out for defense can’t be an MVP in my book.

1. Joel Embiid, 76ers

This man will never be taken out for defense. He is well on his way to his third straight scoring title, averaging better than a point per minute played. That feat has only been done once in NBA history: Wilt Chamberlain in his legendary 50.4 ppg season back in 1961-62. One of the few things that could derail Embiid’s quest for a second Michael Jordan trophy is his availability. He’s already missed ten games this season, and the new NBA rules state that players must play at least 20 minutes in 65 games to be eligible for season awards. That means Embiid must play in 36 of the Sixers’ final 43 games to remain eligible for any award.

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After a successful career, Morris Sr. recently returned to play for his hometown team. The city wanted to welcome Morris back and recognize him and his twin brother, Mavericks forward Markieff Morris, for their charity and philanthropic work around the city.

The Morris twins helped create the Family Over Everything Foundation, an organization that assists members of underserved communities in Philadelphia and other cities.

Surrounded by teammates, friends and family, Morris Sr. delivered a tearful speech sharing how proud he is of his roots and reflected on where his charitable and philanthropic nature comes from.

“My mom always had an open door policy,” Morris Sr. said, ” She helped the kids in the neighborhood. She helped my family and that is instilled in me til this day, I know nothing else different. So when I see people get love back it means a lot to me, it really does.”

Markieff was unable to attend the ceremony in person but wrote a message on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“We are humbled and extremely grateful to be awarded such a prestigious symbol of recognition,” Markieff said in a tweet. “Receiving the key to the city is something my family will cherish for a lifetime. We’re committed to upholding and furthering the values and principles it represents. Thank you to the judges, senators, city officials my family and the people of the city.”

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For head coach Nick Nurse, it’s eminently sensible to continue playing 23-year-old star Tyrese Maxey through minor slumps and missteps. But for young players on the edge of an aspiring title contender’s rotation, there’s minimal leeway.

That’s one reason why Jaden Springer and KJ Martin are among the most interesting Sixers as the Feb. 8 trade deadline nears. Flashes of talent lead you to wonder what might be possible with regular minutes, whether Springer’s strong point-of-attack defense or Martin’s explosiveness might nicely complement Maxey and Joel Embiid’s games in the years to come.

And a subpar stint or two means consistent minutes likely won’t be right around the corner.

Nurse offered a detailed response Tuesday when asked about Springer’s development. 

“Listen, his opportunities are a little sporadic, obviously,” Nurse said. “It’s not easy to figure out what’s happening when you’re in and out, but that’s just the reality of our bench and the reality of the situation for him. He’s got to make the most of his opportunities and the times that he does get a chance. 

“We like him. I think he provides certain things that fill some gaps for us — great on-ball defense, an extra possession-getter, etc. It’s still going to come down to can he make some perimeter shots? … He didn’t make any the other night, but at least he took ‘em. When I first got here, he was a hesitant shooter. And we’ve tried to say to him, ‘Listen, if it’s in rhythm and it comes out to you, you’ve got to take ‘em.’ It’s just going to gum up the offense (if you don’t); it’s going to undo the rhythm. If it’s a rhythm three, you’ve got to take it. 

“Continue to do that (and) make some of those. And then he’s got to understand that he’s got to cut his foul rate down some. He’s got to do that. There’s times when fouls are needed and important, right? Those are fine. If you’re challenging at the rim and making an (impact) there to take away a bucket, that’s good. But you can’t commit them 84 feet from the basket when they’re in the bonus, or get us quickly into the bonus when you start the fourth quarter or something like that.”

Springer indeed took the open jumpers available Saturday in the Sixers’ loss to the Jazz. However, following an 0-for-8 homestand, he’s at 5 for 25 this season from three-point range. 

In the preseason, Springer went 7 for 8. He’s seemed to have issues smoothly calibrating his dip and shooting a fluid, well-balanced jumper on some catch-and-shoot tries, but Springer certainly appears capable of producing better long-distance results. 

Nurse’s point about his frequent fouling is fair. The 21-year-old’s 6.2 foul percentage outside of garbage time is highest on the Sixers, per Cleaning the Glass.

There’s zero wrong with Springer’s instincts to stay tight to his man and go hard every second. That’s yielded plenty of positive plays.

Still, there are times when Springer would be best off recognizing that a bump or extra bit of effort isn’t helpful. 

Martin’s been in a similar spot as Springer — receiving rotation chances here and there, playing late in blowouts, occasionally featuring on shorthanded nights. 

The two actually had a connection before Martin joined the Sixers early this year in the James Harden deal.

“We were (at IMG Academy) at the same time,” Springer said in November. “I played on the high school team and he did a post-graduate (year). So we were on different teams, but we were always around each other.”

Martin played 17 minutes vs. Utah and posted nine points on 4-for-7 shooting, including three dunks. 

Maxey was quite impressed. 

“He was huge, man — the way he plays in the dunker, the way he plays in the short roll, the way he defends,” Maxey said. “He’s just so athletic. I hit him one time … and he just jumped. And I was like, ‘Good lord, I wish I could do that sometimes.’

“But he’s been great, man. He’s patient, he’s waited. When he gets out there, he always shows something in his opportunities.”

Beyond his pure bounce, Martin’s knack for reading off-script situations has stood out. He’s demonstrated that he can make savvy cuts, slide into openings, and attack in transition.

“Just what I’ve showed my past three other years (in the NBA). Just my ability, my athleticism to guard multiple positions and make plays for others,” Martin said Monday. “In practice I just keep sticking with it, doing what I’m supposed to do every day.

“And in the game, I don’t try to do too much. I understand who’s on my team, I understand who’s on the floor with me … and I try to help them out and just feed off of that.”

The only three Sixers currently under contract past this season are Embiid, Springer and Paul Reed.

We’ll have a slightly better sense of the team’s future on Feb. 9. And we’ll see what’s next for two intriguing Sixers youngsters with a considerably lower profile than Maxey. 

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With Nick Nurse in charge, the practice gym sings. 

Before his first training camp leading the Sixers, Nurse asked for a DJ.

Josh Barrett, known professionally as DJ Ghost, is now a fixture at the Sixers’ morning shootarounds and practices, and he’s still at the home games themselves. He’s a full-time presence with many balls to juggle. 

An eclectic mix 

Nurse brings his guitar along on road trips. He loves music and believes it can boost joy, cohesion and other things much less tangible than deflections or points per possession. 

“It’s calming for me, almost like meditation,” Nurse wrote in “Rapture,” his book with Michael Sokolove. “I don’t think about basketball when I’m playing music, but I’m pretty sure it helps free the creative part of my brain.” 

Among the song requests thrown Barrett’s way, Nurse’s will always take precedence. 

“Some Prince, some Santigold, Michael Jackson … he likes that kind of stuff,” Barrett told NBC Sports Philadelphia in an interview. “He’ll come over and just be in a mood — because he’s a musical guy. He’ll say, ‘Play a little bit of Santigold,’ so I played some Santigold today.”

Barrett has become familiar with the players’ tastes as well. 

“(Patrick Beverley) likes the Goo Goo Dolls,” he said. “Tobias (Harris) likes Marvin Gaye. And the younger guys like NBA YoungBoy. The older guys do not like NBA YoungBoy, so there’s a clashing of the music.”

Harris, who’s in his 13th NBA season, had never experienced music throughout practices before this year. Once a session kicks off, coaches typically want their voices to be the gym’s singular instruments.

That’s not the case at the Sixers’ training complex in Camden, New Jersey. 

“What I like about Ghost is he takes requests,” Harris said to NBC Sports Philadelphia with a smile. “Some days I’ll walk in and be like, ‘Hey, we need the ‘80s vibe, let’s get it going.’ And he’ll get it on. 

“Overall, I just think it brings great energy to the whole group. He’s mixing it up during practice as well, so it always keeps us active with our voices to be able to speak over the music and whatnot. It just keep us upbeat and live.”

Danuel House Jr.’s pregame workout features songs like “Do Yo Thing” … by himself. 

House and Barrett have also performed together off the court.

“It brings energy,” House said. “Shout out to DJ Ghost — for the house, for the team. It brings a lot of energy and excitement. It lightens the mood and prepares you for what we’re about to do.”

Though Paul Reed doesn’t make requests, he’s confident he’ll like whatever he hears. 

“I feel like he does a good job of switching it up,” Reed said. “Some days it’s old school, some days it’s new school. And then he kind of goes off what type of person you are.

“If I’m the first one in the gym, he’ll start playing some Kodak (Black) or some Pooh Shiesty or something. And then as more people come in, different age groups, he’ll go throwbacks.”

All sorts of sounds 

The Sixers’ practices aren’t just perpetually flowing tunes.

In addition to the nitty-gritty basketball talk you’d expect, you’ll hear the sound of a slot machine, the screech of an eagle, and other noises that Barrett is responsible for peppering in at the appropriate moments. 

“The slot (noise) for slot cuts. The eagle sound for good defensive plays, because (Nurse) wants your hands to be out like an eagle. It’s almost like being inside of a video game,” Barrett said. “I’m playing the video game, and I’m just watching the TV and I’m hitting the buttons as the game goes along.

“I guess for the players, it kind of makes them feel like, ‘Oh, I did a good job.’ It’s like an instant gratification for you doing something good in practice — for things you don’t (usually) really get rewarded for. … But now you do it and you hear the sound effect.”

Nurse described the sounds as “an enhancement feature.”

“There are times when we’re saying, ‘These are our pillars. These are the things we’re focusing on.’ And sometimes in the NBA, there’s so much stuff going on that you can even lose your focus on your main things,” Nurse told NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think (the sound effects) kind of always are there, making it a constant focus for those guys. 

“And it’s meant to be somewhat on the energy side — positive reinforcement. Sometimes it’s funny. … It’s just a way of making our workplace sometimes a place of enjoyment. I mean, it is basketball. We should be having some enjoyment out there playing the game.”

Harris highlighted the freight train sound effect, which he said Barrett rolls out “if you drive into the lane and basically run over somebody for a layup or dunk.” 

Both Harris and Reed also mentioned the Sixers’ staple song on free throws. Whenever a player goes to the line at practice, Barrett plays a snippet of “Automatic” by The Pointer Sisters.

“When you’re at the free-throw line, he’ll play the song ‘Automatic.’ And then I’ve been peeping that at the home games, he’ll play it (before) our free throws,” Reed said. “It’s kind of instinctual where it’s like, ‘Ooh, this is getting me in my zone.’”

‘It’s changed me into a morning person’ 

Barrett grew up in Bensalem and Philadelphia rooting for the Sixers. 

He was happy to join the team, although his initial work wasn’t exactly what he envisioned. 

“When I started with the Sixers 11 years ago, I got a call to come and fill in for somebody. … It ended up being DJing for the walk-in on the concourse,” Barrett said. “I was like, ‘This isn’t what I thought it was.’ And we’ve grown together, and it’s turned into something nice.”

The rhythm of his life has dramatically shifted.

“Yeah, it’s full time,” Barrett said with a laugh. “I wake up at 6:30 in the morning now. I used to go to bed around 5 a.m., get done in the club. Now I get up at 6:30, so it’s changed me into a morning person … I was never a morning person. 

“But you wake up every morning and even if you’re tired, you enjoy going to work. It’s not like I’m tired and think of an excuse not to go to work. I get up and am happy to go to work every day.” 

While there’s plenty of routine, predictable elements to Barrett’s job, he’s also taking instructions from a coach who appreciates fluid, clever, jazz-like improvisation. 

“I really think there’s a good comparison there,” Nurse said. “I’m certainly not the first person to compare (basketball) to jazz or to music. But there’s five guys out there, and there is a hymn sheet or a song that we’re on. But in jazz, we leave enough space and freedom for guys to do something really spectacular, right? Which would be similar to a solo in a jazz group.

“I just always want to let them know that there is freedom to explore, do some things they’ve been working on, but still within that same team framework or same hymn sheet we’re all singing from.” 

For Barrett, that artistic space to explore looks like constantly fine-tuning the Sixers’ day-to-day soundtrack. 

“I’ll sprinkle stuff in and see their reaction,” he said. “Usually, they’ll bob their head. It’s different than playing in the club. Either way (in the club), you get an instant reaction — people are either dancing or they’ll walk off and go to the bar if they don’t like the song. Here, if it’s a new song, you can see them bobbing their head to it or tapping their feet while they’re waiting for their turn to get the ball. 

“Or if it’s an older song that I just haven’t played in a while and I see them (mouthing the lyrics), then I know that they like the song. There’s little tells, almost like you’re playing poker, and I watch what they’re doing to see if they like it. 

“Or they’ll turn around and be like, ‘Turn it up! Turn it up!’ Obviously, that’s the easiest one. ‘Turn that s— up!’” 

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Located at 101 Walnut Street, the two-floor residence comes with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and spectacular views of the Philadelphia skyline.

The lavish home includes a 1,000-square-foot rooftop area with a private heated pool, hot tub and outdoor kitchen.

According to the Redfin listing, Embiid bought the penthouse for $3.2 million in 2018 and now it’s listed at a whopping $5.5 million.

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There is no indication that Embiid is leaving the city anytime soon — he still has two more years in his contract with the Sixers.

Ryan Minor, the Baltimore Orioles infielder who became part of baseball history when he replaced Cal Ripken at the end of his record-setting consecutive games streak in 1998, has died. He was 49.

The University of Oklahoma — where Minor starred in baseball and basketball — said he died of cancer Friday. The Orioles also released a statement on social media.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of former third baseman and longtime minor league manager Ryan Minor, who courageously fought cancer,” the Orioles said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Ryan’s family and friends at this time.”

A baseball and basketball star

Drafted by the Orioles in 1996, Minor made his big league debut late in the 1998 season. Then, a week later — on Sept. 20 — he was thrust into the spotlight. In the team’s final home game of the season, Ripken decided to end his streak at 2,632 consecutive games. Minor started at third base for the first time in his career.

“I had no idea when I was coming to the park,” Minor said at the time.

Minor went on to play parts of four seasons for the Orioles and Montreal Expos, appearing in 142 major league games. This past summer, the Delmarva Shorebirds — an Orioles minor league affiliate — made his No. 44 the first jersey number in team history to be retired. He hit 24 home runs for Delmarva in 1997 while working his way toward the majors, and he later managed the team from 2010-12 and 2014-17. He also had multiple stints managing the Frederick Keys.

At Oklahoma, Minor pitched and played first base. He helped the Sooners win a national title in baseball in 1994, and he was named Big Eight Player of the Year in 1995 on the basketball court. The 6-foot-6 Minor finished with 1,946 points and was drafted in the second round by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996, the same year the Orioles took him.

The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame recently announced that Minor would be part of its 2024 class of inductees.

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And on Friday night, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations is set to speak with reporters at approximately 6:15 p.m. ET ahead of his team’s matchup vs. the Detroit at Wells Fargo Center.

You can watch his press conference below:

McGinnis “succumbed to complications from a cardiac arrest suffered late last week,” according to the Pacers. He was 73 years old.

McGinnis played three seasons with the Sixers and helped the team win the 1977 Eastern Conference title. He averaged 21.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.1 steals per game as a Sixer.

“George McGinnis was a Hall of Famer on and off the court, earning several accolades during an ABA-NBA career that spanned a decade,” the Sixers said in a statement. “He joined our team in the mid-70s and proved to be an incredible force alongside Julius Erving — the duo leading our team to a 1977 NBA Finals appearance. Our sincerest condolences go out to George’s family and friends. He will be missed.”

The 6-foot-8 McGinnis was known for his distinctive one-handed jumper. He’s also widely considered a predecessor to the powerful, skillful forwards of the modern-day NBA. 

“Until LeBron (James) came along, I never saw another guy that had George’s physical abilities on a basketball court,” Erving said ahead of McGinnis’ Hall of Fame induction in 2017.

The Pacers have McGinnis’ No. 30 retired. An Indianapolis native, McGinnis starred at Indiana University and then won ABA championships his first two professional seasons with the Pacers.

“From his all-state high school days to his time as an IU All-American and, of course, to his legendary ABA championship runs with the Pacers, George McGinnis shaped so many of the fondest basketball memories for generations of Hoosiers,” the Pacers said in a statement. “He was the very definition of an Indiana basketball legend, a champion, and Hall of Fame athlete.

“But he was more than that. George was family. A passionate advocate for his fellow ABA players and a present, smiling face around the franchise, George has been as synonymous with our Pacers franchise as anyone. He will be greatly missed, and all of us at Pacers Sports & Entertainment will keep George and his family in our prayers.”

McGinnis will have a private burial. The Pacers plan to hold a celebration of his life in Gainbridge Fieldhouse at a later date. 

Tyrese Maxey played in that February 2021 game against the Bulls, though he sure didn’t feature prominently. The rookie scored six points on 3-for-11 shooting in his 17 minutes off the bench. 

Maxey’s Sunday night wasn’t anything like that. He dropped 50 and felt the jubilation of a packed arena watching two extraordinary players who are easy to enjoy.  

“They’re both really good people,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. “They’ve really got great personalities. I think they’re both easy to like, and that’s probably why they get along with each other so well.

“I think Joel’s done a really good job of encouraging him — working with him, talking to him, pumping him with positive messages all the time. You see it every day in practice and you see it during the games. It’s a tough duo right there.”

To Maxey, beating the Pacers and setting a new career high in an eighth straight win was great. But Embiid demanded more in the final minutes; Maxey needed to let it fly. 

Embiid saw Maxey’s long step-back three fall and walked down the court with both hands on top of his head. 

“I had to,” Embiid said. “(De’Anthony Melton) had the ball and I went and snatched it from him. I wanted (Maxey) to get it. There’s a difference between 47 and 50 or 49 and 50, so I wanted him to have that feeling. But that’s not the only one that he’s going to have. He’s going to have a bunch of those.”

Through 12 minutes, Embiid was the Sixer who seemed to possibly be on track for record-setting numbers. He relished facing Myles Turner and racked up 19 first-quarter points on 6-for-8 shooting. 

Maxey then raced to 17 second-period points, scoring all of them before Embiid subbed back in with 5:20 left in the first half. Embiid and Nurse’s default critique of Maxey has been insufficient aggression, but no faults existed there Sunday. 

“He’s on me every single day,” Maxey said of Embiid. “It’s literally like big brother, little brother. When I come over sometimes and he passes me the ball and I don’t shoot — and I drive or do anything else — I know that I’m going to get an earful from Joel Embiid. 

“You’ve just got to appreciate that, honestly. That’s the MVP of the league. For him to have trust in us as a team and for him to have trust in myself, I just appreciate it. And I just go out there and try to be my best for him.”

Embiid didn’t mind sitting back and chatting with reporters at his locker as the night quieted down after Maxey’s press conference at the podium.

It looks like nothing in Maxey’s orbit is a chore. He loves playing basketball each day as a career, savors the work required to improve rapidly, and has Embiid glowing about his 23-year-old co-star.

“He’s going to be here a long time and I hope he does retire here,” Embiid said. “The fans should love him. They should appreciate him and everything that he does for them, because he’s something else. It starts with people like that. When you’ve got people in the building that are always smiling, it’s rare. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him mad. 

“Usually, me in the mornings, I don’t mess around. Him, you can come in at 7 in the morning and he’s smiling. I’m like, ‘Dude, I just woke up.’ But that’s always the same energy — it doesn’t change. Good games, bad games, always the same — that smile. 

“When you’ve got people around like that, especially when they’re someone that high in the organization, it changes everything. It sets the tone for everyone else.” 

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The crash happened around 7:20 p.m. at the intersection of Spruce and Hick streets, according to police.

The vehicle — only described by police as a “silver vehicle” — was traveling at a high rate of speed, when officials said, it struck Oubre as he was walking across Hick Street.

Police said the 76er was struck by the driver’s side mirror in his upper chest. After the crash, officials said, the vehicle fled the scene, headed south on Hick Street.

Officials said he was transported to a hospital “in stable condition with a broken rib and injuries to his hip and right leg,” after being hit and he was released a few hours later.

The Sixers said Oubre was walking near his residence in downtown Philadelphia when he was struck.

On Wednesday, a 76ers spokesperson said Oubre continues to progress from his injuries and has resumed light physical activity with hopes of returning to play in the coming weeks.

The organization added that it appreciates the efforts of local police for investigating the situation and the support Oubre Jr. has received from the Philadelphia community.

An investigation into this incident, officials said, is ongoing.

Philadelphia police said on Wednesday that they have found no evidence supporting that there was a crash.

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse says he takes Oubre at his word and he believes in him and he stands by him with Oubre saying he was hit by a car Saturday night.

TMZ has ring doorbell footage of Oubre pulling a bike into his apartment seemingly in pain and talking to someone. TMZ says in the video he says “‘I got hit by a car,'” which the person he’s speaking to repeats. They also said the person Oubre’s talking to is his wife.

The team said Oubre is out and will be re-evaluated in approximately one week, but is not expected to miss the rest of the season.

“It’s a pretty traumatic incident (but) he is home and resting fairly comfortably. That’s where we are right now,” Nurse said during his pre-game media session earlier in the week.

Oubre returned to the team’s practice facility as an observer on Tuesday before being re-examined to determine a timeline for an eventual return.

“He’s got an ‘I’ll be back before you know it’ type of attitude,” Nurse said. “That’s a great place to start for him.”

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Oubre is in his first season with the 76ers and has averaged 16.8 points in the first eight games. He was the 15th overall pick of the 2015 draft and has played with four other teams.

“It’s too bad that he’s been on an upward trend and heading towards a good season and stuff,” Nurse said. “That’s kind of a bummer for me for it to happen to him — a guy who needed a break, was getting one and he did everything he could to give himself a break. Then to have that happen — it puts it in perspective as well.”

Note: This story has updated the location of the incident due to new information from the police.

“He’s on the losing side of it,” Embiid said with a laugh. “We’re on the winning side of it.”

Embiid and the 76ers are relieved they are no longer tethered to the daily Harden soap opera that has enveloped the franchise since the summer.

The 76ers traded Harden this week to the Clippers for a package of players and draft picks, ending the promise of two NBA MVPs chasing a championship in Philly.

“He got what he wanted,” Embiid said.

The Sixers did, too.

They are, perhaps for the first time since former guard Ben Simmons issued his trade demand in 2021, a complete team without the headaches that come along with All-Stars bellyaching about their role, their contract, their feelings inside the locker room.

Winning helps.

The 76ers are perhaps an uncalled travel away in the season opener from being 4-0. As it is, the 76ers are 3-1 with Embiid putting up numbers like a player intent on defending his MVP crown. Tyrese Maxey has blossomed into the true, unselfish No. 2 role that Harden never really embraced over 79 regular-season games. And Tobias Harris and Kelly Oubre Jr. are playing more like pivotal contributors rather than oft-forgotten role players.

Harden took some parting shots at the Sixers on Thursday in Los Angeles with the 10-time All-Star saying the team had him “on a leash” in his short stint. Harden complained he didn’t get enough credit in Philly for sacrificing millions on his last contract in the summer of 2022 so the team had enough money to spend on free agents. And he said under former coach Doc Rivers, the Sixers didn’t play an offense that fit his ball-dominant, freelance-style of offense.

“I’m not a system player,” Harden said. “I am a system.”

Embiid scoffed at the notion that Harden — who fell out of favor among Philly fans with a combined 22 points in Games 6 and 7 second-round playoff losses last season to Boston — was hamstrung by the Sixers’ scheme.

“We gave him the ball every single possession to just go out and do his thing,” Embiid said. “From there, he had to make decisions as far as getting guys open or looking out for himself. I thought he did a pretty good job just getting us into an offense.”

If the Sixers missed Harden, it sure didn’t seem like it in the locker room.

The Sixers beat Toronto on Thursday night in a game where almost everyone contributed. Embiid had 28 points, 13 boards and seven assists. Harris and Oubre each scored 23. Maxey had 18.

Harden’s nameplate was, of course, removed from his locker and there wasn’t a shred of his merchandise found in team stores on the Wells Fargo Center concourse. Not even on the discount rack.

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Embiid, though, noted how it’s still kind of hard to imagine how much more of a threat the 76ers might have been with a healthy, happy, well-paid Harden still on the roster.

“That was out of our control,” Embiid said. “In that situation, you’ve got to roll with it. But I still believe we have a chance. We are right there. Especially with the team we have right now.”

Sixers coach Nick Nurse was hired in the summer and soon found himself trying to navigate the murky Harden waters — the guard publicly called team president Daryl Morey a liar to ignite the dissension.

Harden opted in to the final year of his contract to try and force a trade, was late to training camp and had hit-and-miss participation at practice — with little inclination to actually really play — all while Nurse was trying to implement his style and get to know his new team.

While Nurse publicly said all the right things ahead of the trade about welcoming Harden back, he admitted Thursday that he never truly believed he would coach Harden.

“I think that I thought the chances were pretty low,” Nurse said. “When he opted in, I said, ‘OK, we get a chance to coach him.’ Then the stuff happened and I went, ‘Oh’. Up and down, up and down a little bit. There were times, yeah, when I thought for sure. Then he showed up in practice.

“I will say this, he was in shape, worked extremely hard, was extremely professional while he was here and he looked awesome. He really did, while he was here. We just never got to the game part of it all.”

Embiid said Harden was never really a distraction — “guys have been focused knowing we’re still good enough” — and wished him well in Los Angeles.

“I think he did a lot of great things for us,” Embiid said. “But the notion of misuse, maybe that might have been coming the way he felt with the coaching staff. But in my opinion, I just feel like we just allowed him to be himself. We gave him the ball every single possession because he is really good. He’s an amazing player.”

Just not in Philly anymore.

The team officially released the Reading Terminal Market-inspired jerseys Thursday.

The uniforms went on sale Thursday morning at SixersShop.com and will be available at Wells Fargo Center during the Sixers’ evening matchup against the Raptors. On Saturday afternoon, the Sixers will wear the jerseys for the first time when they host the Suns.

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Below is a look at the uniforms and the team’s 2023-24 City Edition court via a Sixers press release:

In addition to Saturday, there are 10 other “Spirit of 76 Nights” on which the Sixers will wear their City Edition uniforms:

Nov. 27, 7 p.m. ET vs. Lakers

Dec. 20, 7 p.m. ET vs. Timberwolves 

Jan. 6, 7:30 p.m. ET vs. Jazz

Jan. 22, 7 p.m. ET vs. Spurs 

Feb. 3, 6 p.m. ET vs. Nets 

Feb. 7, 7 p.m. ET vs. Warriors

Feb. 22, 7 p.m. ET vs. Knicks 

March 16, 7 p.m. ET vs. Hornets

March 27, 7:30 p.m. ET vs. Clippers 

April 9, 7 p.m. ET vs. Pistons 

The Sixers point guard posed with the kids in their costumes as he handed out candy on Halloween at his New Jersey home.

In photos shared by an NBC10 producer on social media, Maxey is smiling big while taking a selfie with a group of girls dressed as Barbie.

In another photo, he can be seen on his doorstep with boys dressed as sumo wrestlers while in a third photo, a girl takes a selfie as Maxey hands her friends candy.

Oct 30, 2023

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After a one-point loss on the road to a Milwaukee Bucks team favored to win the Eastern Conference, Joel Embiid and Company buzzsawed their way through wins over Toronto and Portland, the latter punctuated by Embiid’s Triple-H crotch chop.

Harden sat on the bench for Sunday night’s blowout win, making sure he was noticed in a Day-glo green hoodie. No one could miss him. But on the court, no one actually did miss him.

Translation: Come on back whenever, James. Or don’t. We can win without you.

Harden requested a trade from the Sixers upon opting in on his salary for this season in July – his third trade request in 30 months – citing the Clippers as his preferred destination. A month later, he said that he would never play for Daryl Morey again, calling him a liar.

With every solid performance turned in by the Sixers, Harden’s leverage with Morey further erodes.

He missed more than a week of practice, then was turned away at the airport as the team boarded its charter to Milwaukee for the season opener. And after swearing off playing for GM Daryl Morey ever again, Harden was part of the team’s walkthrough and film session yesterday, and is expected to return to practice with the team on Tuesday.

This doesn’t sound like a player who has the upper hand.

Without Harden, Tyrese Maxey has assumed primary ballhandling duties and is thriving, averaging 30.3 points on 50% from the floor, and 56% from beyond the arc. He is second on the team in assists (6.3) to none other than Embiid.

The half-court offense running through Maxey is more fluid so far than when it ran through Harden. No longer are there possessions where four players stand sentry as Harden dribbles for 15-18 seconds before getting the ball in motion.

The reigning NBA MVP has picked up where he left off last season, averaging 31 points, 10.3 rebounds and seven assists.

Maybe Harden was hopeful that the Sixers would struggle out of the gate, inspiring Morey to begin working the phones to flip him for reinforcements. The team’s depth has been challenged early on, but the results have shown the team can not just survive, but prosper, without him.

So what’s Harden’s end game here? Morey shelved talks with the Clippers weeks ago, repeating his mantra that he has no obligation to move Harden, and that he won’t trade him to any team unless he gets value in return.

The very fact that there haven’t even been rumors of other NBA teams contacting Morey in the months following his trade request should tell him everything. But for all Harden’s talents and gifts, self-awareness is not one that he has in abundance.

While Harden still brings something to the table to help a team, his biggest issue is that he thinks he’s still James Harden, top of the marquee NBA star. He is in search of a team with two characteristics: a team in title contention, and one that needs a ball-dominant scoring guard.

That Venn diagram is two circles separated by miles.

What Harden truly needs is something many NBA stars don’t have: someone in his camp who will tell him the unfiltered truth: he is still valuable, but he is no longer THAT GUY. Yes, he led the NBA in assists last season. He could probably do it again and again if he wanted to. But the one quality that would help Harden – and the Sixers franchise – in the short term is humility.

Come back, help the team win, and the rest will take care of itself. Or it won’t. But pouting and sitting on the sideline isn’t helping you. And it doesn’t really seem to be hurting the team.

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Bryce Harper could have rocked a Joel Embiid or Jalen Hurts jersey or one of any number of Philadelphia stars when he dressed ahead of Game 7 of the NL Championship Series.

Harper instead caught Philly by surprise when he entered Citizens Bank Park wearing a Philadelphia 76ers No. 22 jersey of newcomer Patrick Beverley.

Beverley, a two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection, had yet to play a game for the Sixers in his first season since he signed a $3.2 million, $1 million free-agent deal. Oh, and it wasn’t just any jersey — the 76ers expedited for Harper a City Edition jersey that says “City of Brotherly Love” on the front above the number 22.

Beverley said he was “very surprised” when he saw Harper in the 76ers jersey. While the two Philly athletes have never met, the jersey shoutout shouldn’t have been a total surprise. Beverley noted on “The Pat Bev Podcast” that he was a fan of the Phillies slugger, who led the team to within one win of reaching the World Series.

Beverley wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “Legend ” on a repost of the jersey photo.

“I think it shows the type of person Bryce Harper is,” Beverley said Sunday. “He doesn’t know me from a can of paint. He showed love.”

Beverley showed his appreciation when he wore a Harper jersey and a maroon Phillies hat to the 76ers’ home opener. Beverley shot warmups in his No. 3 Harper jersey.

“I just wanted to pay it back,” Beverley said. “I don’t know him personally. But the gesture was definitely sought out and appreciated.”

Like Harper, Beverley is a staunch defender of his teammates and was even tossed in a preseason game after jawing at former Sixers guard Ben Simmons.

Harper was later roasted on social media for wearing a 76ers jersey ahead of Game 7, considered a bad-luck omen by some fans because the franchise has not won an NBA title since 1983.

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There’s the “Rocky” theme song as a session concludes, a self-explanatory Philadelphia flourish. There’s the jackpot machine sound when a player makes a slot cut. And there’s that piercing screech. 

“Getting back on defense, we make sure that we’re building a wall, showing our hands. We call ‘em ‘eagles,’” Paul Reed said Wednesday, illustrating the outstretched wings image (and corresponding noise).

Transition defense is one of several core areas where Nurse has aimed to drill home the message that the Sixers must be different. Amid day-by-day uncertainty with star guard James Harden’s status, much of Nurse’s focus has been on effort and attention to details. 

“There’s a handful of things that we talked about … on Day 1 in our meeting. We don’t offensive rebound very well nor do we get back very well. That can’t be,” Nurse said with a laugh before the Sixers’ Oct. 16 preseason win over the Nets. “Usually, I like to do both really well. 

“There was a long time where people said, ‘At least, if you’re not going to offensive rebound, get back.’ So first of all, addressing it. A lot of it starts with a plan and some organization and some drill work. And then it shifts really quickly to effort, right? Sprint back. The communication becomes the technical side of it that you’ve got to practice, and we’ve worked at it pretty hard.”

After dropping to 1-4 last season with an embarrassingly poor and slow outing against Nurse’s Raptors, the Sixers’ transition defense was by far the NBA’s worst; opponents were adding an outlandish 9.3 points per 100 possessions through transition play, according to Cleaning the Glass. The Sixers did manage to somewhat right the ship, finishing 15th in that category for the remainder of the season.

And yes, their lack of offensive rebounding was another obvious issue. The team ended the 2022-23 season 25th in offensive rebounding rate. The year prior, the Sixers ranked last.

“Sprinting back and talking,” said Danny Green, a member of the 2018-19 Toronto team that won a championship in Nurse’s first season as an NBA head coach. “Communication is a big key in everything we do defensively, especially in transition. 

“Finding bodies, matching up to bodies, cracking and pursuing, making sure we get rebounds. But also making sure we’re putting pressure on the defense by crashing the o-boards a little bit so we give ourselves another chance to get an opportunity at the rim where we can score, which will give our defense a chance to set up. But most importantly, it’s just sprinting, getting back and talking.”

Nurse has stressed that physicality is an essential part of almost all the Sixers do. 

“Nick definitely emphasized just causing disruption out there, no matter what it is,” De’Anthony Melton said following the preseason game in Brooklyn. “Bodies on bodies, flesh on flesh. 

“We had a video before the season started just (about) being physical, showing clips from last year. I think that’s an emphasis this year, our physicality. And I think the physicality will wear down on teams for us.”

Patrick Beverley identified that as a unifying, clarifying force for the Sixers. 

“I think we’re a closer-knit group than a lot of people know we are,” Beverley said Monday. “We have a bunch of new faces but also, collectively, there’s a bunch of guys who’ve been here before. We really get along a lot. We’re able to police ourselves, coach ourselves. And I’d say on the basketball court, just physicality and aggressiveness.

“Obviously you go through the preseason and we fouled a ton, but I’ve been on teams where we led the league in fouls and we led the league in forcing turnovers, too. It plays both ways. So if there’s one thing about (team) identity, it’d be physicality.”

To Beverley’s point: The Sixers ranked 25th among NBA teams in preseason fouls committed per game and first in defensive turnover percentage outside of garbage time.

Nurse isn’t asking for constant gambles that leave the Sixers’ defense always scrambling out of odd-man situations. But physical, aggressive basketball will inevitably mean that players like Melton and Reed hear some whistles. The Sixers’ coaches won’t discourage that. 

“It’s been an adjustment for sure,” Reed said last Thursday. “I feel like last season, setting screens, they didn’t even require us to hit and hold as much as we do now. This year they want us to hit more on the screens. Last year it was kind of like, ‘Just get the lower half and get up out of there quick.’ Now it’s like, ‘Make sure you hit him good and then roll.’ So that’s my adjustment, personally. 

“And on the rebounding aspect of it, ‘crack and pursue’ is one thing the coaches have been preaching. It gets the guards engaged and helping the bigs out when we’re boxing out. Hopefully, that helps us get more rebounds.”

Nurse has been working on plenty of other schematic changes, too. It’s all tended to stem from ways he believes the Sixers can better attack opponents. 

He’s hoping to see more unpredictability on offense around reigning MVP Joel Embiid; more players feeling free to bring the ball up the floor, to shoot open jumpers, to cut; more shots for 22-year-old guard Tyrese Maxey — a minimum of 20 field-goal attempts per game, Nurse has emphasized. 

The Sixers’ new coach also doesn’t want the big picture to be very complicated for a Harden-less, season-opening road trip with games Thursday night against the Bucks and Saturday against the Raptors. 

“Well, hopefully we’re going to play really hard, right? We’re going to play really hard and with the spirit that we’ve shown in practice and the togetherness that we’ve shown,” Nurse said Wednesday. “That’s kind of my job. If I can leave the game understanding that we fought, understood the game plan that we were trying to execute and got some of it done … I always say, ‘If we can get this stuff done, we have a really good chance.’ And then just battle all the way. That’s it. 

“A lot of guys have been touching the basketball and doing a lot of different things. … So we’re going to try to figure out who those people are going to be and what the rotations look like. But mainly, we just need to go out there and compete at a super high level.”

No eagles will screech in Milwaukee, but the Sixers know exactly what will matter to Nurse and his staff. 

“At the end of the game tomorrow, they’re going to have a list of everything we did as far as ball pressure, crack and pursue, eagles,” Reed said. “If we’re all in the green, then I’m pretty sure we’ll end up with the win.”

Harden — who issued an offseason trade demand — did not play in the preseason and skipped practice last week for what was officially called a personal matter before he showed up Wednesday at the team’s complex in Camden, New Jersey, ready to play.

Coach Nick Nurse said he was told Tuesday night that Harden had arrived in town. Nurse said Harden was involved in practice early and late but not in the game preparation part for the Bucks.

The opening matchup pits NBA MVP and two-time scoring champion Joel Embiid against Milwaukee’s two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo signed a three-year, $186 million extension this week with the Bucks.

“We have to get ready for our game tomorrow with the guys that are going to be playing,” Nurse told reporters. “He’s been gone 10 days so we are in ramp-up phase again. He will stay here and get on-court work with our staff and with our players from the (G League) and our two-way guys and things like that and try and get him ramped up as soon as we can.”

Nurse said Harden was “fine” with the decision. Part of Harden’s complaint stems from his belief he should have earned a long-term contract with the Sixers after last season. It never came, thus he picked up the option on his contract for this season with the expectation the 76ers would trade him. That never materialized.

The 76ers play Saturday at Toronto, the team Nurse led to the 2019 NBA championship, and play their home opener Sunday against Portland.

Nurse, in his first season in Philly, declined to commit to Harden playing in any of those games.

“We are probably going to have to evaluate this in the next couple of sessions,” Nurse said. “We just need to see what the information tells us in two days.”

Harden was a late arrival to training camp and continued to practice with the 76ers early last month in the wake of the trade demand. Harden said the lone time he spoke at practice that his fractured relationship with team president Daryl Morey could not be repaired — comparing it to a broken marriage — and said over the summer that he could not play for the 76ers.

“My concerns right now are really going to be focused on the game tomorrow night,” Nurse said. “That’s what I’ll continue to do. If there are any concerns, if and when they arise, then we’ll handle them. I really think our guys they’re not very affected by it.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

It took him a little longer than he predicted to return to broadcasting, but four teams and 25 years later, Rivers is back on the sidelines as a TV analyst — albeit at a different network.

Rivers is set to begin his second stint with ESPN as the network’s NBA analyst, though he doesn’t know how long he will remain in the position.

“Do I miss coaching?” Rivers asked, “let the season go on, and I’ll find that out. But this is the journey I’m on right now,” he said.

For now, Rivers is teaming with Mike Breen and Doris Burke on the network’s top NBA broadcasting crew. It is Rivers’ second stint with ESPN/ABC. He was part of the ESPN’s broadcast team during the 2003-04 season, including the NBA Finals, after he was fired 10 games into the season by the Orlando Magic. Rivers is back after being fired by Philadelphia.

At least one ESPN executive believes Rivers’ won’t be returning to the coaching ranks anytime soon.

“Doc will be a part of our NBA coverage for several years. I can assure you of that,” said David Roberts, ESPN’s Head of Event and Studio Production. “There’s always a chance that someone will reach out and say, ‘Hey, Doc would be a great coach.’ So, we’ll deal with that moment if it happens.”

There is clearly on positive for Rivers being back in TV. Since he was fired by the Sixers Rivers is longer in the middle of the upheaval in Philadelphia amid James Harden’s trade demands and rift with the team’s front office. He did say it’s nothing knew for reigning league MVP Joel Embiid.

“I think Joel is pretty much used to beginning-of-the-year turmoil. He can kind of tone that out and almost use it as fuel,” Rivers said. “At some point, he needs to be healthy, and then he needs to perform in the playoffs. That’s going to be the key. If Joel plays well, the Sixers are as big of a threat as anyone else because when he’s dominant, there’s nobody in the league that can stop him.”

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Rivers did acknowledge feeling some pressure about re-joining ESPN and being on the top team. Burke and Rivers replace Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, who were let go as part of the network’s reductions of on-air talent.

“It’s almost like coming in to coach a team that has a chance to win the title. I loved listening to Mark and Jeff,” Rivers said. “We just want to be what we are and let that go wherever it goes.”

Breen and Burke both have longtime friendships with Rivers. Over the summer, Rivers went to Ireland with Breen. Burke has interviewed Rivers numerous times over the years. They worked a couple of games with ABC in 2004 when Rivers was the analyst and Burke was doing sideline reports.

“I think we’ll follow Mike’s lead. He is the driving force behind the telecast,” she said. “Doc brings an honesty to what he’s telling you. And I think it’s probably helpful that he’s done this in the past. I am looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

As for what to expect this season, Rivers has defending champion Denver as the favorite. The three teams he is watching early, though, are Phoenix, Boston and Milwaukee.

Rivers said he wants to see how Bradley Beal meshes with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant on the new-look Suns because it reminds him of his 2007-08 Boston squad with Paul Pierce, Kevin Durant and Ray Allen.

“It’s not possible for each one of them to have the same amount of shot attempts now because they’re all together,” said Rivers, who will work the Boston-New York telecast on Wednesday. “Usually, whoever that third guy is, he’s the guy that has to sacrifice the most. But if they can get it right, that makes them really good.”

Rivers has the Celtics and Bucks at the top of the Eastern Conference after their offseason additions. Boston acquired Jrue Holiday from Portland less than a week after he was traded by Milwaukee as part of a three-team trade when the Bucks got Damian Lillard.

Rivers still has a desire to be competing for another NBA title. His most significant coaching success came in Boston when he led the Celtics to the NBA title in 2008 during his nine-year tenure. There was also seven years with the Los Angeles Clippers and a stint in Philadelphia for three years.

But he said scratching that coaching itch one more time won’t be on his mind when he is broadcasting games — no matter what people may read into his comments.

“Sometimes that can be critical. But as long as it’s honest and coming from the right place, I’ve always been able to live with that,” Rivers said. “It’s going to be unpopular at times, but at the end of the day, I want people to enjoy the game.”

Harden has been looking for a route out of the city since the offseason, putting a strain on the core of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris.

Philadelphia won’t go far this season and beyond without another certified star, but which team proposes an offer for Harden is the biggest matter.

In recent cases such as Damian Lillard, most of the NBA world believed he’d be moved to the Miami Heat. Then the Milwaukee Bucks swooped in to pull off a stunner.

Could the same happen with Harden? The Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets have been involved in rumors the most, but what about these four teams?

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls need to take one of two options. Either dismantle their current core of DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine and collect assets for the future or somehow make a push for another big-time player in order to make a real title run. The only issue may be their lack of sweeteners to send Philly, but getting something for him may be better than just not playing him.

Miami Heat

After losing out on the Lillard sweepstakes, will Pat Riley look elsewhere or keep the squad as is? Miami’s roster does seem short of a needle-mover unless more hidden gems step up after the departures of Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry aren’t getting any younger and Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro need to go another level. Harden could boost this team for a few more years.

New York Knicks

The Knicks have been searching for a superstar for years to no avail. Jalen Brunson proved to be a solid pick up but he’s not who you want as your No. 1 to seriously challenge, nor is Julius Randle consistent enough in the postseason. RJ Barrett is in for a big year to quiet the criticism around his stunted growth. But if New York wants to punch above its weight and browses the star market yet again, would they consider pairing Harden with Brunson?

Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota may have used its “trade for star player” card on Rudy Gobert, but its roster still lacks true off-the-dribble playmakers beyond the developing Anthony Edwards. The Timberwolves are relatively stacked in the frontcourt spots, but a Harden-Edwards backcourt could move the needle in a talent-filled Western Conference should they have the assets to pull it off.