Philadelphia

76ers

Watford played a key role off the bench for the Sixers last season, offering scoring, rebounding and assists in 16.3 minutes per game and notching his first career triple-double on November 8 against the Raptors.

Per usual, the NBA will have its brightest stars playing on Christmas Day. The NBA Finals rematch will start the day at 12 p.m. ET and will be followed by Heat-Celtics, 76ers-Lakers, Thunder-Timberwolves and Nuggets-Warriors. Aside from the team and player rivalries that will add to the drama, this will also be LeBron James’ return to Los Angeles after spending the last eight seasons as a Laker.

The most important note here is the start time. Typically, there are two night games on opening night, but this game will tip off at 3 p.m. ET. Managers will have to set their lineups earlier than usual. There are still two night games, with the defending-champion Knicks hosting the new-look 76ers, which will be followed by a Western Conference Finals rematch, with the Spurs hosting the Thunder. All three games will be broadcasted on NBC and Peacock. Other nationally-televised games for the first week have been revealed as well, and the full schedule will be released this week.

Embiid and the 76ers disappointingly saw their season end as the Knicks swept them in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Since then, there’s been a change in leadership, with Gansey replacing Daryl Morey. In addition to acquiring Jaylen Brown from the Celtics, the 76ers signed LeBron James in free agency. Expectations going into next season will be sky-high, and it helps that Embiid can use this offseason to hone his craft instead of recovering from another injury. “This is like the first summer I think in a while that he’s been healthy, so he’s been in the gym working out,” Gansey told ESPN. “He’s been lifting weights. He’s extra motivated. He wants to play a lot of games, and he’s excited about the group we’ve built now. Even before these trades and LeBron, I think he was excited. So he’s motivated to have a good year and he’s ready to go.” When healthy, Embiid can be one of the most valuable players in fantasy basketball. However, the injury history will likely keep many managers from selecting him with a first-round pick in drafts.

While Tyrese Maxey will continue to take on a prominent playmaking role for the 76ers, LeBron’s arrival gives the team another option to trust in that regard. “He is an offense creator,” Nurse said, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia. “He is certainly a guy that will bring the ball up the floor and try to create for himself and others. He is really good for others.” After averaging at least eight assists each of the prior two seasons, James’ average dipped slightly to 7.2 per game in 2025-26. With the offensive weapons in Philadelphia’s starting lineup, he could experience an increase in that category next season, which should help his fantasy value.

The move keeps Philly under the first and second aprons while signing LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Broome will operate as a depth option in LA behind Brook Lopez, Isaiah Jackson and Yanic Konan Niederhauser.

Philadelphia’s reported interest in moving on from Broome has more to do with the pending signing of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope than anything else. Just as the team needed to waive Dalen Terry to have the roster spot needed to make the LeBron James signing official, another roster spot is needed to add KCP. Broome, who was limited to 11 NBA appearances last season and missed time with a knee injury, played well during Summer League. Still, the 76ers have Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti to absorb minutes behind starting center Joel Embiid. In the right situation, Broome could have some streaming value throughout the season. According to Fischer, waiving Jabari Walker is another possibility, but the 76ers hope to hold onto him.

The team’s official X account broke the news on Sunday, making the former No. 18 pick a free agent. The move could be part of the Sixers’ plan to clear roster space and salary cap to add Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who NBA insider Chris Haynes reported intends to sign with Philadelphia after being bought out by Memphis. Terry split time with the Bulls and Sixers last season, averaging 3.7 points across 48 games.

The LeBron James free agency saga has reached its conclusion, with the future Hall of Fame forward reportedly picking Philadelphia as his new home. Despite being 41 years old, James still has plenty left in the tank, as evidenced by his 2025-26 season with the Lakers. Appearing in 60 games, he averaged 20.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.3 three-pointers while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 73.7 percent from the foul line. While James’ streak of All-NBA selections ended due to his not appearing in 65 games, the production remained good enough for him to offer reliable fantasy value. While his fantasy ceiling takes a hit with the move to Philadelphia, LeBron’s floor should be fine, with the occasional spike when factoring in Joel Embiid’s injury history.

While Philon and the 76ers were on the wrong end of an 87-62 outcome, the rookie guard’s play was one of the bright spots. He played efficiently, shooting the ball well and committing just one turnover, and the defensive stats were there as well. Given Philadelphia’s perimeter rotation, it will be challenging for Philon to get the minutes needed to be relevant in standard redraft leagues. However, he’s a must-have in dynasty leagues because of his upside.