New Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey isn’t sugarcoating things when it comes to the current state of the team.
At his introductory press conference with the Sixers, Gansey made it clear that the team to rejoin the legitimate contender conversation in the Eastern Conference.
Mike Gansey Says 76ers ‘Not a Championship-Caliber Team’ Right Now
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – NOVEMBER 27: Head coach Nick Nurse of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts against the Houston Rockets in overtime at the Wells Fargo Center on November 27, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Rockets defeated the 76ers 122-115 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Considering the fact that they were swept in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the New York Knicks, Gansey doesn’t view the Sixers as a championship-caliber team at this point in time, but he vowed to do everything in his power to change that.
“We have Joel [Embiid]. I’ve had a lot of good conversations with him so far, excited to meet with him this week. With him and the roster that we have, that’s who we have. We got to get those guys on the floor. We got to create an identity and just get them to play basketball. … We’re excited to see what we can build,” Gansey said.
“They got swept in the second round, so it’s not a championship-caliber team right now, but we’re going to work on that. … We’re going to do everything we can to bring players in here that fit, and that obviously can help. We got a great staff here, and we’re going to do everything we can to get the best players in here to help us get to the mountaintop.”
Mike Gansey Plans to Build Around the ‘Big Four’ in Philadelphia
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 25: Tyrese Maxey #0, Joel Embiid #21, and VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on against the Charlotte Hornets at Xfinity Mobile Arena on October 25, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Hornets 125-121. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The top task facing Gansey when it comes to building the Sixers into a legitimate contender is establishing a reliable rotation around their quartet of stars – Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe and Paul George.
Those guys account for a huge chuck of the Sixers’ salary cap, and barring any blockbuster trades over the offseason, all four will be back in Philadelphia next season.
“I just look at like we have those four and we got to maximize those four. Obviously, VJ and Tyrese are younger, but Paul and Joel can still play at a high level,” Gansey said. “We were 24 and 14 when Joel played, and obviously the playoffs coming back from Boston. Like, we gotta rely on those four, and obviously keep [them] on the floor, and then just build around them.”
Now that he has been officially introduced, Gansey has to get right to work. The 2026 NBA Draft is just a couple of weeks away, and free agency is set to get underway shortly after that.
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