LeBron Lands in Philly: What the New-Look 76ers Offense Means for Fantasy

Philadelphia responded to a conference-semifinal sweep at the hands of the eventual-champion Knicks by blowing up the plan and starting over. The result: a starting five of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James and second-year guard VJ Edgecombe. On paper it's a top-tier East lineup that combined for roughly 27 assists per game last season — and it reshapes the fantasy math for everyone involved.

The obvious question is who runs the show. Realistically, nobody does — and everybody does. James, Maxey, Brown and even Edgecombe can all initiate, so expect a fluid, multi-ball-handler system under Nick Nurse rather than one dominant point guard. Primary duties should still funnel through James and Maxey.

James Becomes the Facilitator

At 41 and about to start his 24th season, James is now at his best as a distributor. He posted 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 60 games in 2025-26 (actual), good for 41.4 fantasy points per game and our No. 23 overall rank (No. 9 at his position). His court vision and encyclopedic feel for offensive sets should unlock easier looks for the whole group. Encouragingly, he's trending up — the last five games of his season came in at +7.9 fantasy points above his average.

Maxey's Ceiling, Brown's Squeeze

Maxey has been miscast as a shoot-first point guard out of necessity, leading Philly in assists three straight seasons. With James absorbing playmaking, he can slide back into his natural role as an off-ball, three-level scorer. He put up 28.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists over 70 games (2025-26 actual) for 48.8 fantasy points per game — our No. 6 overall and No. 3 guard. His last-five stretch dipped -12 versus his average, but the profile only gets better with more spacing.

Brown is the one who has to sacrifice. His 2025-26 season was a career year — 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists across 71 games and 45.2 fantasy points per game — but a lot of that came with a 35.1% usage rate (third in the NBA) while Jayson Tatum recovered from his Achilles injury. Alongside Embiid, Maxey and James, Brown becomes an off-ball finisher rather than a primary creator. That fixed his old turnover problem (3.6 per game) but caps his volume.

The fantasy read: buy the transition ceiling on this team, but be honest about the pecking order. Maxey (No. 6) is the safest long-term hold and a top-tier keeper. James is a strong add whose assist spike could push him past his 41.4 mark, and his upward form trend backs that up. Brown is your sell-high candidate — his name and last season's numbers still command a premium in trades, but the usage crash is coming. Cash out while the market still values the version of Brown that no longer exists.