76ers training camp opens with Nick Nurse ready to experiment: ‘We need to clearly define roles for everybody’

CAMDEN, N.J. — The closing moments of Day 1 of 76ers training camp offered a tiny window of insight into the centripetal forces that will govern this novel group. 

At the far end of the Penn Medicine Training Complex, with most other roster members departed for the day, assistant Phil Handy finished up a shooting circuit with veteran guard Anfernee Simons. Handy, a legendary player development coach, paused Simons’ shooting to walk through his mechanics. 

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“I just want you to go short and quick,” Handy said, using his hands and feet to demonstrate while Simons clung to every word. Ensuing shots came in rapid succession, each one seemingly quicker and smoother than the last as Handy and fellow assistant Matt Brase looked on. 

The 76ers will use training camp as an experiment. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

The less work Simons needs to do when receiving the ball, the better. The 27-year-old will receive a profusion of catch-and-shoot opportunities in the minutes he shares the floor with Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. Role players like Simons will need to be even more rapid with their decision-making to maximize the gravity that comes with All-NBA talents, but it unlocks an even bigger theme. 

For the 76ers to reach the lofty goals that have been set — whether externally or internally — they’ll need to be a much improved version of themselves. Not simply by the splashy summer additions, but by Nick Nurse’s tactical setup. 

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“I got an idea as I do with every guy with what their role should be,” Nurse told reporters on Tuesday. “And even bullet points underneath, but I want to see the group for a couple weeks before I start trying to narrow that down. I want to collaborate with each player on that. We need to clearly define roles for everybody.”

Last season was a letdown by most metrics: 26th in effective field-goal percentage, 21st in true shooting, 23rd in 3-point rate, 28th in assist rate. But given the fact that nearly 80% of the 76ers’ possessions came against a set defense, solving their half-court issues seems to be a non-negotiable. It’s…

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Author : Kelly Iko

Publish date : 2026-09-29 19:47:00

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