Top 10 things to watch with the Sixers this season

After an active summer, it‘s finally time for the 76ers to see how the pieces all fit together. While we likely will not get a full glimpse of their star trio — Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey — together on opening night against the Milwaukee Bucks (7:30 p.m. Wednesday), there‘s still a lot to look forward to from one of the NBA’s most talked about teams.

Let’s take a deeper look at a franchise that is expected to compete in the Eastern Conference and beyond.

Guerschon Yabusele was one of the best stories of the offseason. A former first-round pick who fell out of the league, Yabusele’s standout performance for France in the Paris Olympics helped him reemerge on the radar of NBA teams. Yabusele’s versatility and showstopping dunk over LeBron James during the gold medal game helped him land with the Sixers, who were in desperate need of a big body to play power forward.

» READ MORE: Sixers president Daryl Morey’s masterful summer started with the biggest coup of his career

Andre Drummond has set high expectations for his Sixers return. In a spot run with the team during the 2021-22 season, Drummond played on a veteran‘s minimum deal and earned the respect of Embiid, who called his former rival the best backup he’s ever had. Now, in his second stint with the Sixers, Drummond is on a new two-year, $10 million deal and touting himself as the best rebounder in NBA history. He’ll get ample opportunity to show off that skill as Embiid enters into deep load management.

As has often been the case during the Embiid era, this will be a critical stretch for the Sixers, starting with the team’s run of eight road games in 14 days between March 10-24. The Sixers entered the second half of the season third in the Eastern Conference last season, but Embiid suffered a knee injury that tanked the season. March was particularly gruesome, as the Sixers won only 7 of 17 games and dropped into a first-round meeting with the smoking hot New York Knicks.

» READ MORE: Sixers have high expectations for star trio, but they must remain healthy

The Sixers’ offseason didn’t stop when they signed George. They continued to add or bring back familiar names, including Drummond, Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon, and Reggie Jackson. They will be expected to lean on their experience and provide a spark for the Sixers, who struggled in Embiid-less minutes last season.

Tobias Harris was a serviceable player saddled with star expectations because of his max salary. His failure to meet those expectations made Harris persona non grata in Philly near the end of his tenure. Even in his absence, Harris has continued to take shots from Sixers fans, who are quick to compare George to Harris. He‘ll be back in town with the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 30 and is sure to receive a mixed welcome. And he’ll bring a beloved figure, Paul “BBall Paul” Reed, with him.

There‘s no guarantee we’ll get another postseason matchup, but there‘s a burgeoning rivalry between the Sixers and Knicks. Helped by the fact that the Knicks roster has become Villanova North, there‘s also a ton of local interest in the matchup as well. A slight shake-up there — Mikal Bridges was brought in and Donte DiVincenzo was shipped out — won’t change this Eastern Conference battle. We’ll get our first look at Sixers-Knicks on Nov. 12 at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Sixers are making their goal clear from the jump and taking all the necessary precautions. They want Embiid and George healthy for the playoffs and won‘t apologize for any steps taken to ensure that. They‘ve slow played Embiid’s preseason and plan to sit George two weeks after he suffered a bone bruise against the Atlanta Hawks. The pair will not play back-to-back games, according to Daryl Morey, and they’ll be watched closely all season.

Maxey has grown every season. Starting out his rookie year as a guy at the end of the rotation, he has earned a starting spot, became an All-Star, won Most Improved Player, and signed a max contract in the three short years since. What‘s next? His postseason outburst against the Knicks could be a preview of what he’s capable of for a team with title hopes.

» READ MORE: All-Star Tyrese Maxey says he’s been ‘blessed.’ The Sixers could say the same thing.

There was no love lost in George’s departure from the Los Angeles Clippers. Once a feel-good story about George returning to play for his hometown team, the story shifted when George expected a max deal and the Clippers were miles apart in negotiations. George felt disrespected in the process, and the Clippers made the unusual move of writing a press release to announce its decision to part ways with George. All of that — and the presence of former Sixers James Harden — should make this Nov. 6 meeting one to watch.

This has been the dominant story line for the Sixers during the Embiid era, and this season will be no different. In fact, the Sixers look determined to change the narrative around their playoff history. Embiid was held out of early scrimmages and has yet to play in the preseason, a clear precursor of the Sixers’ plan to keep their big man ready for the playoffs, where they hope to advance beyond the second round for the first time since 2001.