One pressing question for each Sixers player headed into training camp

The 76ers’ 2023-24 season unofficially begins Monday, when the team holds its annual media day before departing for training camp in Fort Collins, Colo.

That represents the first opportunity in months for on-the-record questions to significant figures, including president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, first-year coach Nick Nurse, and reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid.

A heavy dose of those will certainly be about the James Harden saga, one of the league’s dominant offseason storylines that now is primed to bleed into the Sixers’ daily on-court preparation. Will the disgruntled star guard show up to camp? How long will it take to find resolution, either through reconciliation with Morey or via a trade? And how does this affect Harden’s teammates, Nurse’s staff, and the season’s outlook?

There are, however, other questions surrounding this team that, despite the uncertainty, maintains high internal expectations. Here is one for each player on the training-camp roster. Though these won’t be answered Monday, they will be worth following throughout the season.

Embiid has completed his quest to clinch the sport’s top individual accolade, after leading the league in scoring in back-to-back seasons as a forceful, multi-dimensional offensive threat.

How does one follow that up? That will depend on how Nurse uses Embiid on both ends of the floor.

Embiid has expanded his offensive game in recent seasons, moving from getting the ball in the low post to operating more from the elbow and nail in the middle of the floor. He has worked on creating shots for himself off the dribble, and playmaking for his teammates.

What will Nurse prioritize in Embiid’s game? If Harden is no longer on the team, Embiid’s continued development as a passer could be key. Playing more on the perimeter means Embiid has not been as close to the rim to rebound, a team-wide issue for the Sixers the last two seasons. And shot-blocking could be important in an aggressive Nurse defense.

It would also be fair to say regular-season accomplishments no longer matter for Embiid in terms of outside (or internal?) perception. He is still seeking a dominant, deep, healthy playoff run — one that pushes his team into title contention.

Consider this, though: Nikola Jokic’s and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s championships both came after they won MVP. Twice.

Many believe Maxey is on this trajectory, regardless of the situation. He averaged a career-high 20.3 points per game last season on 48.1% shooting, including a stunning 43.4% on 6.2 three-point attempts per game.

Yet the 22-year-old’s continued ascension will be even more vital for the Sixers if Harden holds out or is traded, and Maxey becomes the lead guard. The team and Maxey are certainly preparing for that possibility during informal team workouts and pickup games before camp begins.

» READ MORE: If James Harden holds out, how would the Sixers handle point guard duties?

Maxey already accompanies his shot-making with incredible speed with the ball in his hands. But he must develop more as a playmaker, both in the pick-and-roll and explosive drives into the paint.

That takes reps. And reps. And more reps.

This answer would change depending on Harden’s status, after Harris transitioned from having a chunk of plays run through him to primarily being a catch-and-shoot fourth option.

An optimal Harris with or without Harden, however, is probably something between the version from the Los Angeles Clippers and the Sixer version since February 2021. Efficient shot-making on a little more volume. A dash of playmaking. And because of this team’s lack of wing depth, the continued willingness to take on challenging perimeter defensive assignments.

A natural question to ponder is if Tucker remains on the roster all season, or if he gets packaged in a Harden trade. An Instagram post in August suggests that may be his preference, or could mean he simply was being supportive of his longtime friend.

But if Tucker remains part of this core, he cannot hesitate when left open for corner threes. He did not take a shot in seven games last season, and attempted only one 11 times. That’s perplexing, considering he boasts one of the NBA’s best percentages from that area of the floor in recent seasons, and thrived there while playing with Harden with the Houston Rockets.

Tucker is a quintessential beyond-the-box-score player, who demonstrated his value while fighting for loose balls and providing veteran toughness during the playoffs. Multiple injuries also affected his shot early last season. But he can be a weapon from that spot during the grind of the regular season.

Melton proved to be an important pickup last season, especially when Maxey and/or Harden were out with significant foot injuries and former coach Doc Rivers experimented with Maxey as the sixth man. Melton’s defense was valuable down the stretch of games, and he notched a career-high 33 points in a December win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

If Harden is no longer in the picture, Melton becomes part of a by-committee backup point guard group. It’s a position where he is competent, though he has limitations as a distributor, finisher, and ballhandler.

Adaptability and versatility are commendable qualities, of course. And Melton’s defensive prowess with various personnel groups will be an asset in Nurse’s creative defensive schemes. But how much will he be toggling between lineups?

It’s easy to highlight Beverley’s longtime calling cards: his defense, his edge, and his ability to galvanize teammates. And, like Melton, he may need to shoulder some of the offense-initiating role if Harden holds out or is moved.

Yet Beverley also needs to be a reliable outside shooter. His three-point numbers dipped to 33.5% in 2022-23. After playing for three teams over the last two seasons, perhaps he would benefit from some stability.

Perhaps you have heard that the Sixers have a logjam at center, even after Reed solidified himself as Embiid’s backup last season and returned when the Sixers matched the Utah Jazz’s offer as a restricted free agent.

One way to get Reed and newcomer Mo Bamba opportunity is for Reed to occasionally slide to power forward. He has worked this season on stretching the floor with his outside shot, even personally working with Nurse on his form and release. And his length and activity as a defender resembles the Raptors’ recent style under Nurse better than anyone on the Sixers roster.

» READ MORE: Paul Reed, who got it ‘Out the Mud,’ is determined to make an impact on and off the court

Reed’s key to staying on the floor, at least under Rivers, was resisting the urge to freelance on the offensive end. That becomes even more important when responsibilities shift slightly depending on the position.

Bamba has not fulfilled the lofty expectations that came with being a top-six draft pick in 2019. But now the Westtown School product is back in familiar surroundings, with the opportunity to re-establish himself as a rotation player.

Bamba is an excellent shot-blocker and has worked on his pick-and-pop game and perimeter shot. But game-to-game consistency — either because of health problems or lack of intensity — has plagued his early career.

Bamba considers Embiid a mentor, and observing the reigning MVP’s everyday habits — and matching up against him in practice — should prove valuable.

House spent large chunks of last season out of the rotation, while Matisse Thybulle and then Jalen McDaniels got most of the minutes at that position.

Yet after picking up his player option, House is now one of the Sixers’ only options in that mold. Though his on-court chemistry with Harden from their Houston days may no longer be applicable, House is still a tough-minded defender with athleticism to play in transition and knock down shots.

The way House responded when unexpectedly called upon in Game 5 of the playoff series against Boston — when he went 5-of-7 from the floor and finished with 10 points and five rebounds — also demonstrated that he had adopted the “stay-ready” cliche.

Oubre has always boasted enticing athleticism and flair, and is coming off averaging a career-best 20.3 points per game.

It’s telling, though, that it took until late September for Oubre to sign a veteran’s minimum deal. Those numbers came for a fledgling Charlotte Hornets team, a situation similar to ones he previously played in with the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns. The last time he was in an established winning culture was with the Golden State Warriors in 2020-21 and … it did not go well.

» READ MORE: Kelly Oubre can help the Sixers, but he’ll need to be a player he’s never been

The Sixers needed wing depth — but in the form of a player who will relish a role as a defensive stopper while racing down the floor in transition. Will Oubre be satisfied with that as he aims to re-establish his value?

Springer played in only 27 combined regular-season and playoff games during his first two seasons, spending the bulk of that time with the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats. He even played in Summer League for a third time in July.

The Sixers love Springer’s defensive tenacity, though questions linger about his offensive capabilities at the NBA level. But while Rivers shied away from utilizing young players, Nurse has a strong development reputation.

It’s likely time to give Springer a legitimate regular-season run. He has a team option for 2024-25, which the Sixers must pick up by Halloween.

Green is back in Philly, where he played from 2020 to 2022 before suffering a gruesome knee injury that kept him sidelined for much of last season.

How impactful can he be as a three-and-D wing player at 36 years old? To be determined. But Green’s championship experience and calm demeanor made him a respected locker-room presence. He can be particularly valuable during this transition to Nurse, the coach he won a title with in Toronto in 2019.

Korkmaz was not much of a factor the last two seasons, prompting him to request a trade (for the second time in his career) at the February deadline.

That was not fulfilled, and he now returns to the Sixers in the final year of his contract. A significant drop-off in shooting accuracy (28.9%) two seasons ago — which he attributed to a mysterious nerve problem that caused numbness in his arm and hand — initially pushed him out of the rotation, and he never truly recovered a spot under Rivers.

Perhaps Nurse’s fresh eyes on Korkmaz will be beneficial. If the Sixers need an emergency point guard, Korkmaz is an option.

After losing the backup center job in the middle of last season, Harrell tore two ligaments in his knee during a summer workout.

Not ideal for the former NBA sixth man of the year. Still, news surfaced shortly after the injury that the Sixers planned to keep Harrell because his contract could be used to help match salaries in a trade.

When will that asset become most valuable? We’ll see.

These two players have training-camp opportunities with the Sixers. Duke is on an Exhibit 10 contract, while Petrusev is on a standard deal.

This has been long-coveted for Petrusev, a draft-and-stash big-man prospect from Serbia who is coming off a deep run with his home country in the FIBA World Cup. Duke, a combo guard, has starred in the G League while primarily on a two-way contract with the Brooklyn Nets the last two seasons.

» READ MORE: After being stashed overseas for two seasons, Filip Petrušev is eager to show Sixers he’s NBA ready

Petrusev will need to fight through that logjam at center to make the roster, while Duke is more likely to join the Blue Coats. The Sixers could convert Duke’s and/or Bagley’s deal to a two-way contract before the season.

These are the three Sixers on two-way contracts, meaning they will split time in Philly and in Wilmington with the Blue Coats. While it’s unlikely any of them will get meaningful minutes on a win-now Sixers team, it will be interesting to see how Nurse prioritizes their time working with the NBA staff as opposed to getting heavy playing opportunities in the G League.

All three players were part of the Summer League roster, with Smith looking particularly tantalizing as an aggressive gunner from deep and attacker with the ball in his hands. Though the Blue Coats are coming off a G League title, new head coach Mike Longbardi is taking over after Coby Karl was promoted to the Sixers’ staff.

Additionally, signing a two-way deal during the summer does not guarantee it for the entire 2023-24 season.