The 2026-27 Philadelphia 76ers will play their first game together on Monday Night, opening the preseason against the New York Knicks. No team in the NBA may have more hype than the 76ers.
The offseason additions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James give the Sixers one of the NBA’s best rosters. But it will take a little more time to see all the newcomers on the floor together. The players set to play in the preseason opener have been announced, with Brown set to make his team debut.
According to Matt Murphy, the following players are set to play on Monday Night. Brown, VJ Edgecombe, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Ariel Hukporti, Labaron Philon Jr., and Dean Wade.
Per the @sixers, here are the players who will be available to play in tonight’s preseason opener against the Knicks: https://t.co/VDD8JZU4Fb
— Matt Murphy (@Matt_Murphy04) October 5, 2026
This will be a good look for Sixers fans at some of their new players. Brown will likely play a limited role, but we may see much more from Hukporti, Philon, and Wade. While the preseason is irrelevant to the win/loss record, it is a good time to build chemistry amongst the new players.
Nick Nurse Hopes to Play Full Lineup Soon
The 76ers have four games on their preseason schedule. The final three are when 76ers head coach Nick Nurse hopes to have his full lineup available. According to Dave McMenamin, Nurse said, “The hope is to play the majority of his players together in two of the remaining three preseason games.”
Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse says the hope is to play the majority of his players together in two of the remaining three preseason games.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 5, 2026
It will be important for Philadelphia’s starting five to play together in a few games before the season opener.
It takes time to build chemistry in the NBA; we have seen some exceptionally talented teams struggle during the regular season because they could not mesh. That is what the 76ers are hoping to avoid.
It will be interesting to see what roles these Sixers take on during the season. Some of their stars will have to sacrifice shots and scoring opportunities for the team’s benefit.
We will see what this team is truly capable of once the real games tip off.
New Faces Available for 76ers in Preseason Opener