• The 76ers plan to play LeBron James in Thursday’s preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets, giving fans their first preseason glimpse of him in a Philadelphia uniform after he joined the team in July.
  • The other part is happening in the margins, where Philadelphia is still dealing with a backup-center puzzle and a cluster of injury updates that leave the depth chart unsettled.
  • Nick Nurse said the team should be able to get “a majority of the guys out there” for the next game, but the Sixers will still be without Dominick Barlow, Anfernee Simons and Adem Bona against Brooklyn.
  • The need is especially acute in the wake of Ariel Hukporti’s injury, which has left Philadelphia searching for a big body it can trust behind Embiid.
  • James’ debut adds another layer to that process.
  • It will be his first game with the Sixers since signing in July, and the expectation is that the starters’ minutes will be limited as Philadelphia focuses on conditioning and chemistry rather than a full-scale preseason showcase.
  • That is the tension in Brooklyn: the Sixers want to see their intended starters together, but they also need to learn whether the rest of the roster can hold up around them.