NBA storylines to watch in 2026-27: Can the 76ers sacrifice? Is Victor Wembanyama unstoppable?

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Welcome, friends. After what has seemed like the longest offseason in basketball history, the official start of the 2026-27 NBA season tips off Tuesday.

A summer full of signings, scrimmaging and scandal has laid the runway for what should be one of the most compelling campaigns in recent memory. Here are five things we’ll be paying close attention to.

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Can the 76ers sacrifice?

Assuming the new-look 76ers aren’t on pace to break every standing NBA offensive record, someone (or multiple someones) will need to concede certain aspects of their game, contrary to what Joel Embiid boldly declared last week. 

We’re not going to pay too much attention to their 27th-ranked offense through four preseason games — a plethora of moving parts were at work here — but it’s important to note some stylistic changes that should spill over to the regular season. Players like Embiid and Jaylen Brown, who have historically been focal points, have seen immediate changes in their usage rates (28.8 for Embiid, 26.2 for Brown) — particularly Brown, who is seeing almost 10% less of the ball than in his final season in Boston. 

LeBron James #23, Joel Embiid #21, Jaylen Brown #7, and Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on against the Boston Celtics during a preseason game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 16, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

(Mitchell Leff via Getty Images)

Incorporating LeBron, who I believe is still the most important piece of the equation, hasn’t taken as long as I would have assumed. His whopping 42.9 assist rate this preseason is higher than at any point over the past five seasons, which isn’t saying much because it’s early October, but it’s still clear he’s trying to ingratiate himself, and the team is bending to his tendencies (Philly led the league in assist rate this preseason). 

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What we do have is an idea of how the 76ers will operate. They’ll shoot a bunch of 3s and play at an uptempo pace to maximize how lethal James and Tyrese Maxey are in…

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Author : Kelly Iko

Publish date : 2026-10-19 13:53:00

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