Sep 30, 2024; Camden, NJ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) poses for a photo on media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Bill Streicher
Camden, N.J. - Before flying to the Bahamas for training camp week, the Sixers held Media Day at their practice facility on Monday. Here's a notebook of what happened, interesting quotes, funny occurrences, and more.
- It was quite the solemn moment when Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey learned of the death of Hall-of-Famer Dikembe Mutombo. Morey was summoned away from the podium during his joint press conference with head coach Nick Nurse, a team executive attempting to brief him of the 58-year-old's passing from brain cancer so that reporters wouldn't blind-side him with the news. An emotional Morey, processing the news at the front of a room full of cameras and microphones, offered some thoughts on the big man:
- In his opening statement, Nick Nurse mentioned that the team addressed a plethora of needs this offseason — namely backup center, experience, depth, and wings. It is notable that he listed backup center there, as that was a position the Sixers had covered going into the offseason. You'll recall that they waived Paul Reed after signing Caleb Martin to his contract. It begs the question, what was the tipping point at which the Sixers felt Reed was no longer viable as the backup center?
- Nurse seems to have a lot of ideas for how to use Paul George:
- Nurse didn't define a role for veteran point guard Kyle Lowry. But, he did make it clear that his role would not be as big as it was last year. Lowry's workload after signing with the Sixers in the middle of last season was more a product of injuries than an idealized vision. Nurse made it very clear that Guerschon Yabusele is a power forward - not a small forward, maybe a small-ball center, but definitely a power forward. "He should have a good chance to impact the rotation," Nurse said.
- As detailed here, Joel Embiid seems to have changed his priorities. He says he's lost 25-30 pounds and counting, and his focus is on getting to the playoffs in the best health possible. According to the big man, his job this year is to empower his teammates, especially Tyrese Maxey. "I think there's another step he can take and he's going to take it. I think my job is to just go out there and just let him be the guy because I know that, at some point, when it comes down to it, he's going to come in handy. Same thing with Paul. Some of the other guys we added ... Caleb, Guerschon, we added a lot of guys. Feels like we have a brand new team," Embiid said.
- KJ Martin said he worked with a shooting coach the whole summer. "That was the first thing I started with. I didn't leave the paint for, like, two weeks, just tweaking my shot a little bit, just working on it," he said. Being consistent from three was a priority for him this offseason.
- George thinks the Sixers are a top-three team in the East, "for sure". "But, I mean, I think we should be able to compete for a championship," he said. Smart hedge by the veteran wing. You won't raise many eyebrows calling your shot as a top-three team in the conference. And you wouldn't expect a 34-year-old star looking to cement his legacy to set his eyes anywhere short of a championship. Set an expectation without making bulletin-board material.
- There's been some well-this-is-awkward conversation made of having two experienced, prideful backup point guards in Reggie Jackson and Kyle Lowry on the team. So, you can't help but wonder how the two players separate their being teammates from their being direct competitors for minutes. "There's only one championship, so we're all chasing the same thing," Jackson said of the idea that they'll have to compartmentalize being teammates and competitors. As short as that answer is, it is hard not to appreciate the candidness. Does it feel a bit programmed? Sure. Does every answer have to be a word salad? Absolutely not.
- When asked about exciting changes from last season to this season, Kelly Oubre Jr. noted that he's been trying to grow his mustache to connect to his goatee. Get that facial hair right, gentlemen. Side note: Oubre is still trying to be "water" out there, whatever that means.
- Side note to the side note - Oubre's energy is as strong as it's ever been:
- His obsession with being affiliated with water in some way, shape, or form isn't exclusive. "Just call us 'The Water-Stoppers', call us 'The Plumbers'," Oubre requested when noting the team's versatility, agility, and athleticism on the defensive end of the floor.
- Guerschon Yabusele talked like a guy who is prepared for the reality that shooting will be his swing skill in the NBA. He's feeling confident in his shot translating to the NBA three-point line and knows that Embiid's gravity will create opportunities on which he must capitalize.
- Maxey, Ricky Council IV, and a few others went on vacation to Cabo together late in the offseason. Council revealed that Maxey invited him on the trip. He would not explain why he was wearing socks on a boat. Socks on a boat is fine, by the way.
- The Andre Drummond/Adem Bona mentorship is underway. But, more on that coming soon.
- Jared McCain knows his role is going to be punishing helpers in the catch-and-shoot. There's typically a small margin for error when you're a rookie in that role. The shot is longer, the close-outs are quicker, the defenders are more intimidating. But, McCain says he worked with assistant coach Rico Hines every day since Summer League. So, he may be on a fast track to making the adjustment.
- Caleb Martin is 6-foot-6 with shoes. Tell him that he is listed at 6-foot-5 at your own risk.
- Lowry mentioned that re-signing with the Sixers served as an opportunity to be around Maxey and help him continue to grow. Notably, Lowry is last on the team in bull$h!t tolerated when it comes to dealing with the media. So, if he feels strongly enough about Maxey to say that into cameras and microphones, you might suppose that Maxey is in for yet another leap.
