LeBron James, Sixers enter new season with plenty to prove

The Sixers have LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey. They also have a season opener against the defending NBA champion Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

That’s a pretty good way to find out where things stand.

On paper, Philadelphia has enough star power to compete with anybody in the Eastern Conference. But after three weeks of training camp and preseason games, there are still questions about how all those pieces will fit together.

As Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice detailed in his excellent preseason breakdown, the Sixers have demonstrated some impressive offensive possibilities. They’ve also revealed weaknesses that could become problematic once the games count.

The good news? Embiid made it through camp without a significant health setback, participating in every drill of every practice.

Given his injury history, that’s no small development. The rest will require some work.

LeBron running the show

James may be 41, but he’s still going to be the player who makes Philadelphia’s offense go.

That doesn’t necessarily mean bringing the ball up the floor on every possession. Rather, coach Nick Nurse intends to use James as the primary decision-maker, allowing him to create opportunities for everyone else.

“I consider him a great offense creator,” Nurse told reporters earlier in camp. “I don’t necessarily mean scorer, I just think creator and a table-setter.”

That could be especially beneficial for Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe, who have the speed to turn James’ outlet passes into easy baskets.

Brown gives Philadelphia another outstanding transition finisher, while Embiid can trail the action and become the focal point if the Sixers need to slow things down.

It’s an intriguing combination, and one that Nurse clearly intends to use at a faster pace.

The problem, as Aaronson noted, is that Philadelphia’s preseason enthusiasm for moving the ball resulted in too many turnovers.

Nurse acknowledged the issue after the preseason finale.

“I think we want to play fast and I think there has been a little bit of carelessness — or sloppiness might be a better word,” he said.

That’s understandable for a team with so many new faces. But there’s a difference between playing fast and simply giving the ball away. The Sixers will need to figure that out rather quickly.

Rebounding could be a problem

Here’s another concern: Philadelphia struggled to finish defensive possessions during the preseason.

Opponents repeatedly created second-chance opportunities, something that won’t be any easier to overcome against a Knicks team featuring Karl-Anthony Towns. James identified the issue himself.

“No matter how much firepower we have offensively,” he said, “if we’re not cleaning glass, if we’re not rebounding, we’re never going to get out in transition.”

That’s a pretty good point. For all the attention surrounding Philadelphia’s offensive talent, the Sixers still need to defend and rebound well enough to put that talent to use.

And the frontcourt depth isn’t exactly settled. Reserve center Ariel Hukporti suffered a season-ending injury, while several other big men missed preseason action.

That has created an unexpected opportunity for Jabari Walker, who spent much of camp playing center rather than his more natural power forward position.

Walker impressed Nurse with his rebounding, improved shooting and overall effort.

“I think he’s played very well,” Nurse said, explaining that necessity forced the Sixers to experiment with Walker in the middle.

That could become a significant development, particularly when Embiid needs rest or misses games.

Philadelphia has plenty of scoring. Finding enough dependable size behind Embiid may prove considerably more challenging.

Who gets the minutes?

There’s also competition for playing time in the backcourt.

Veteran Anfernee Simons missed the entire preseason, while rookie Labaron Philon Jr. took advantage of his opportunities.

Aaronson reported that Nurse still appears inclined to give Simons the first opportunity when healthy, with Philon initially receiving shorter stretches.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also figures into the equation, providing championship experience and perimeter defense.

Those are the kinds of decisions every contender faces, of course. But Philadelphia’s challenge is different because so much of its rotation is new.

James, Brown and Maxey all need the ball. Embiid remains a major offensive centerpiece. Edgecombe needs opportunities to develop.

And somehow, Nurse must keep everyone involved while establishing a reliable bench.

That’s a lot to sort out in a relatively short period. James, for his part, doesn’t sound especially worried.

“We’re getting there,” he said. “Obviously we’re a couple weeks in, so we’re still working on our rhythm, working out our kinks, and it’s not going to be perfect.”

It probably won’t be perfect Tuesday, either. But the Sixers aren’t necessarily built to peak on opening night. They’re assembled to compete deep into the spring, provided Embiid stays healthy and the rest of the roster develops the necessary chemistry.

That’s what makes the matchup with New York so interesting. The Knicks already know what it takes to win a championship together. Philadelphia is attempting to establish that same understanding with a newly assembled collection of stars.

The Sixers certainly have enough talent to make this interesting. Now they have to show they can make it work.