The Philadelphia 76ers announced their official 2026-2027 NBA training camp roster ahead of Media Day. The team will go to work in Camden, New Jersey, to fire up their preparation for the new season.
It was an exciting offseason, with plenty of blockbuster action for Philadelphia. They added Jaylen Brown in a deal with the Boston Celtics and convinced LeBron James that they were the right spot for him to come in and sign a minimum contract.
Going into training camp, there aren't any questions about the team's starting five--or the primary rotation, for that matter. Camp battles might not be between star players, but there are a few going down in the coming weeks.
76ers training camp battles to watch
The backup center spot
Let's get straight to it. We discussed the backup center battle all offseason long. It's typically a major talking point for the 76ers year in and year out, mainly because Joel Embiid tends to miss plenty of time. The Sixers need someone to pick up those starting minutes when the superstar big man is out.
The Sixers traded away the sophomore Johni Broome, leaving the team with Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti. The Sixers know a lot about Bona already. He certainly has pros and cons. Unfortunately, he won't get a chance to fight for his spot right away, as he's going to be re-evaluated at the start of camp. The rumored expectation is that Bona will miss time at the beginning of camp.
That leaves the former New York Knicks center Hukporti with an advantage. As camp opens up, Hukporti has a chance to wow Nick Nurse and his coaching staff without Bona taking up any of his spotlight.
The final two-way slot
Unlike previous years, the 76ers didn't quickly load up on two-way players. Rayan Rupert and Caleb Love were added on two-way deals, with the third slot open for the taking.
The Sixers added a handful of players on training camp deals to battle for that final slot, giving a player a chance to split time between the primary roster and the Delaware Blue Coats. Jameer Nelson Jr., Duke Miles, Saint Thomas, Dillon Jones, and Tacko Fall are all going to work with the 76ers for the next few weeks in an attempt to get that final spot. One has to wonder if Fall has the biggest advantage, considering the Sixers are so thin at center depth.
The stay-ready spot
Jaylen Brown is going to start at small forward, and there are two veterans who could play in the minutes behind him. LeBron James can shift over with a bench unit, or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will take up those minutes behind him. Either way, those three are going to play.
The same can't be said for Justin Edwards or Jabari Walker Jr. It's hard not to assume these two aren't on thin ice with the team. Edwards has played a fair amount over the past two seasons, but he's far from a rotation lock. As for Walker, he's walking around without a guarantee beyond $250K this season. Before January 10, he could get cut without the Sixers having to pay out his full $2.5 million.
Training camp will serve them both an opportunity to be someone the Sixers can look at to come off the bench on any random night and play some valuable minutes. Not every player deep in the depths will get that shot. These next few weeks will give these two a chance to stand out.
