The Philadelphia 76ers have yet to officially announce their preseason schedule, but their exhibition slate is beginning to come into focus through the schedules released by two Atlantic Division rivals.
Based on announcements from the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics, LeBron James is currently in line to make his unofficial debut in a 76ers uniform on Thursday, Oct. 8, when Philadelphia visits Brooklyn at Barclays Center. The Sixers are then scheduled to travel to Boston on Oct. 10 before hosting the Celtics on Oct. 16 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Those three dates would provide far more than an opportunity for James to acclimate to his new team.
The two games against Boston would mark the first meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals since the 76ers stunned the defending NBA champion Celtics by rallying from a 3-1 series deficit in the opening round of last season’s playoffs. Philadelphia completed the comeback on Boston’s home floor, ending the Celtics’ title defense in one of the postseason’s biggest upsets.
The preseason series also would feature two emotionally charged reunions.
Jaylen Brown could make his unofficial return to TD Garden after the Celtics traded the 2024 NBA Finals MVP to Philadelphia in the blockbuster deal that brought Paul George to Boston. George, meanwhile, would have his first opportunity to face the Sixers since his brief and injury-marred stint in Philadelphia came to an end.
Neither game will count in the standings, and preseason rotations are typically limited. Still, the circumstances give both matchups the feel of early grudge matches while also serving as the first glimpse of a revamped Sixers team many believe is built to contend for an NBA championship.
Jaylen Brown Trade Helped Bring LeBron James to Philadelphia
Getty LeBron James and Jaylen Brown turned from rivals to teammates in Philadelphia.
The blockbuster acquisition of Brown became one of the key developments that elevated Philadelphia in James’ free-agent decision, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Rich Paul, James’ longtime agent, held discussions with 27 teams before narrowing the list to five finalists: the 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers also expressed interest during the process, ESPN reported.
McMenamin reported that Boston’s decision to trade Brown to Philadelphia on July 6 immediately caught James’ attention.
Throughout the process, James maintained communication with Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. He also spoke with coach Nick Nurse, who became the only head coach from any of James’ finalists to hold direct conversations with the four-time NBA champion.
Philadelphia’s front office, led by president Mike Gansey and president of HBSE Basketball Operations Bob Myers, believed its roster gave James the clearest path toward competing for a fifth championship.
“The signs were all there,” McMenamin wrote, citing a source familiar with James’ thinking who said Philadelphia ultimately provided the “basketball happiness” James prioritized throughout his decision.
The Sixers also appealed to James because of the opportunity to end one of the NBA’s longest championship droughts. Philadelphia has not won a title since 1983, and James has the chance to become the first player in league history to win championships with four different franchises.
76ers-Celtics Grudge Match Add Another Layer to New Rivalry
James’ expected debut in Brooklyn would generate national attention as the first public look at a star-studded lineup featuring James, Embiid, Brown and Maxey.
Two nights later, however, the spotlight could shift entirely to Boston.
Brown would return to TD Garden for the first time after spending the first 10 seasons of his career with the Celtics, where he developed into a four-time All-Star, won the 2024 NBA championship and earned Finals MVP honors.
His departure fundamentally reshaped the Eastern Conference.
The trade that swapped Brown for George not only altered two Atlantic Division rivals but also strengthened Philadelphia’s pitch to James during free agency. ESPN reported that James viewed the Sixers’ revamped core as the strongest basketball situation among his finalists, a belief reinforced by conversations with Embiid, Maxey and Brown throughout the process.
George’s return to Philadelphia six days later carries its own storyline. After arriving with championship expectations in 2024, injuries prevented the veteran forward from helping deliver the deep playoff run the franchise envisioned. His departure paved the way for Brown’s arrival, a move that ultimately helped convince James to sign a two-year, $8 million contract with Philadelphia.
The Sixers could still add additional preseason contests when they formally release their schedule.
For now, however, the three known dates offer considerably more than exhibition basketball. They could mark James’ first appearance in a Philadelphia uniform, the first rematch since the Sixers’ stunning playoff comeback against Boston, Brown’s emotional return to TD Garden and George’s first game against his former team.
For a preseason schedule that has yet to become official, the storylines already feel worthy of the regular season.
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