The Philadelphia 76ers are still adapting to their new look in the wake of their blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown. Now that Brown is in town, the Sixers will feature a lineup that also includes Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe. The team is also pursuing LeBron James in free agency, which could make this group even better.
The arrival of Brown has completely changed things for Philly, as he is fresh off an MVP-caliber campaign for the Boston Celtics. However, his fit alongside his new teammates is worth keeping tabs on, especially when it comes to Embiid, who he has had beef with in the past. According to one of Brown’s close mentors, the legendary Tracy McGrady, it sounds like he still has not spoken to Embiid since getting acquired by the 76ers.
Tracy McGrady Offers Concerning Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid Update
After months of rumors, the C’s finally unloaded Brown to the Sixers, even though he is coming off the best individual season of his career. While Brown is undoubtedly a fantastic player, advanced analytics don’t love him, and he has been the subject of several controversies, thanks to comments he’s made off the floor.
One example of that came right after Philly eliminated Boston from the postseason, as Brown took several shots at Embiid for flopping throughout their playoff series. Now, these two are teammates, and fans have openly wondered how these two big personalities will manage to fit alongside each other moving forward.
Brown has already met and chatted with several of his new teammates, but Embiid is the one that everybody is waiting for him to link up with. While he could have done so behind the scenes (rather than calling guys as he did on one of his recent Twitch streams), McGrady revealed that he hasn’t heard anything suggesting that Brown and Embiid have met since this trade went down.
“I don’t think there’s been a conversation between the two, at least not to my knowledge,” McGrady admitted on “Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady.”
Do the Sixers Have a Problem Brewing with Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid?
GettyBoston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown speaks with Joel Embiid after a game. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Is this a situation worth sweating over right now? Absolutely not. It’s the offseason, and players across the league are enjoying their downtime before turning their attention to the upcoming campaign. In general, Embiid has shied away from the spotlight over the past few months, so he simply may not be around right now. At some point, he and Brown will discuss the 2026-27 season.
Until that happens, though, there are going to be some concerns, regardless of how slight they may be, about the relationship between these two, simply because of their history with each other. The 76ers took a big gamble on Brown in the hopes that he could be the missing link in their championship quest, but if he and Embiid can’t figure things out, the team could be in serious trouble.
Sixers Hit with Worrying Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid Update