Mike Brown and the New York Knicks expect the Philadelphia 76ers to be one of their biggest Eastern Conference threats as they look to defend their crown in 2026-2027.
After the Knicks dominated the Sixers during the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the team had a blockbuster summer. Paul George turned into Jaylen Brown, while the 76ers won the LeBron James sweepstakes.
Those two key moves were made, while the Sixers could keep Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe together.
Earlier this week, the Knicks’ head coach commented on the 76ers as they prepare for a handful of meetings against them early.
Knicks Coach Praises 76ers’ New Look With LeBron James Pickup
“You look at their roster and it’s just loaded,” Brown told reporters, according to Sixers Wire.
“I mean, multiple-time All-Star, multiple-time All-Star, multiple-time All-Star. MVP candidate, MVP candidate, MVP. I remember back in the day, Pop (Gregg Popovich) said when I was an assistant for him, the change from having two All-Stars on your team to having three, he brought it to our attention as a staff. He was like, you need at least three NBA All-Stars, and not just one-offs, but plenty of All-Stars to go win a championship. You look at this team here, and they got as many All-Stars or guys of that nature as what they had in Miami when LeBron was down there. So, they’re definitely a deep team. A talented team.”
As for the presence of LeBron James, Brown stated that being in year 24 is “insane” and James is “not human.” Although he’s deep into his career and might not be the MVP candidate he was for a good portion of his career, James was still an All-Star just last season.
Joining a roster with three All-Star-caliber players and an emerging sophomore, James is expected to be a massive presence for the 76ers as they challenge the Knicks.