Nurse: Embiid will see more varied offensive positioning with James, Brown

Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse says Joel Embiid will be deployed at more varied points on the court after the arrivals of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.

CAMDEN, N.J. -- A rebuilt roster has forced the Philadelphia 76ers to reconsider how their offense functions, and coach Nick Nurse told reporters the reworking starts with Joel Embiid.

Philadelphia brought in LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, a pair of standouts whose games are rooted in the mid-post -- the same area where Embiid has long done much of his work. Three players cannot occupy identical real estate, so Nurse and his staff have spent the early part of camp searching for alignments that give each of them room to operate.

Early evidence, the coach suggested, points toward greater variety in where Embiid sets up. "I think that we are trying to move him around the floor a little more frequently, right?" Nurse said. "I think that so far, so good. It's up to us to figure out some movement patterns or sets, if you want to call them that, movement patterns where he ends up in different places. And you're right, we're going to have to because we're going to need to open up the middle, the nail, the top, for some other guys, too."

None of this means Embiid loses his customary perch. Nurse indicated the big man will still have stretches operating from the middle, mixed with possessions that ask him to station himself elsewhere.

Embiid's production last season showed why Philadelphia wants him at the heart of whatever scheme emerges. Across 38 appearances in 2025-26, he averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists, and he remained a problem for defenses any time his health permitted him to take the court.

The arrival of two more headliners does not diminish his standing. The report casts a central role for Embiid as the outcome that best serves the Sixers, citing his quality as a passer, his continued high-end scoring and his status as one of the pillars of the roster.

The experimentation is unfolding at camp, where placing Embiid at various points of the court helps the Sixers sort through the possibilities and settle on an approach.

Nurse framed the shift as meaningful for more than one player. "I think it's a really important step for our team," Nurse continued. "I said this a lot last year too, the variety. If he's spaced someplace, if he's posting, if he's at the top, then he's spaced someplace. He's posting. I think that's going to be better than four at the top and all that, right? So I think that's what we're hoping to get to."

The account of Nurse's remarks was first published by Sixers Wire. Philadelphia's next scheduled game is Monday, October 5, when the New York Knicks visit Xfinity Mobile Arena for a 7:00 PM EDT tip that will air on NBA TV.