Draymond Green believes the Philadelphia 76ers could be one of the most dangerous teams in the East this season. He also thinks they could just as easily be gone in the first round.
That wide range, in Green’s view, comes down to fit.
Philadelphia certainly has enough talent to make it work. The Sixers enter the season with an extraordinary collection of offensive options in LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey. But that only makes Green’s question about hierarchy more relevant. Maxey thrives with pace and downhill pressure, Brown brings physical wing scoring, Embiid commands touches in the half court, and LeBron remains one of the game’s most influential playmakers. Figuring out when each player controls the offense, and how everyone else adjusts around them, could define Philadelphia’s season.
Green’s first concern is Embiid’s availability. He argued that Philadelphia’s entire offensive structure changes depending on whether the former MVP is on the floor, particularly for Maxey.
“How many games does Joel play?” Green asked. “Because when Joel’s not out there, the paint’s wide open and Tyrese Maxey can get downhill at will.”
That leads directly into what Green sees as Philadelphia’s biggest stylistic question: who actually drives the offense?
“Who’s your number one? Jaylen Brown or Tyrese Maxey?” Green said. “Because they play two completely different styles of basketball.”
Maxey is at his best using speed, transition opportunities and downhill pressure. Brown brings a more physical wing-oriented scoring game, creating a potential adjustment not only for the two stars themselves but for everybody playing around them.
Green’s point is that changing the hierarchy from possession to possession is not necessarily seamless. If Brown is functioning as the primary option one night and Maxey is carrying that responsibility the next, the other three players on the floor must adjust with them.
“When you’re talking about one being the one and flipping back and forth, that’s also going to require other guys to flip their mindset when one is being the one and when the other’s being the one,” Green said.
Philadelphia certainly has the talent to make the arrangement work. The current roster includes Brown, Maxey, LeBron, and Embiid alongside a deep collection of veterans and younger pieces, giving Nick Nurse multiple ways to build lineups around his stars.
But Green is not ready to assume that talent alone will solve the chemistry question.
“It’s a range,” he said. “They could be really good and win it, or they could lose in the first round.”
Draymond weighs in on the 76ers heading into this season
“How does the pieces really fit?… How many games does Joel (Embiid) play because when Joel’s not out there, the paint’s wide open and Tyrese Maxey can get downhill at will… Who’s your number 1? Jaylen Brown or Tyrese Maxey? Cause they play 2 completely different styles of basketball so when you’re talking about being one being the 1 and flipping back and forth, that’s also going to require other guys to flip their mindset when one is being the 1 and when the other’s being the 1. It’s a range, like they could be really good and win it or they could lose in the first round.”
— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) October 19, 2026
That may be the clearest way to describe Philadelphia entering the season. Few teams have a higher theoretical ceiling, but few contenders have more important questions about health, hierarchy and how their best players fit together.
