Magic Johnson sees LeBron James’ playmaking as the key to his fit alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown on the retooled Philadelphia 76ers.
Speaking to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson at The Harold & Carole Pump Foundation Gala, Johnson dismissed concerns about how James would coexist with several high-level offensive options.
“Well, it’s going to be easy when you’re a playmaker, you know,” Johnson said. “He gets everybody involved in the game, he gets people easy buckets and shots.”
The 76ers are coming off a 45-37 season that ended with a four-game loss to the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Philadelphia’s offseason has since reshaped the roster around James, Embiid, Maxey and Brown, who arrived in a trade that sent Paul George to the Boston Celtics.
Johnson pointed to James’ ability to organize an offense featuring multiple stars rather than treating Philadelphia’s concentration of talent as a potential problem.
“When you think about Maxey, Embiid… all those guys, now Jaylen Brown,” Johnson said. “One thing that he knows how to do is also bring everybody together.”
The numbers from Philadelphia’s 2025-26 season illustrate the offensive responsibilities James is joining. Maxey averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists in 70 games, earning an All-Star selection and Third Team All-NBA honors, while Embiid averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 38 appearances.
The addition of Brown gives Philadelphia another established scorer after George averaged 17.3 points in 37 games before being moved to Boston. VJ Edgecombe also produced 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a rookie while starting all 75 games he played.
James’ role could therefore involve more creation for teammates than carrying Philadelphia’s scoring load. Johnson, one of the NBA’s most accomplished playmakers, specifically emphasized James’ capacity to generate efficient opportunities for other stars.
That dynamic is particularly relevant with Embiid, whose scoring gravity can create passing lanes around the post and in pick-and-roll actions, and Maxey, who has already shown the ability to score at high volume both on and off the ball. Brown adds another downhill threat and a two-way wing option to a group that did not exist together last season.
Philadelphia also addressed its supporting cast during the offseason, adding Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade, Ariel Hukporti and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope while moving on from several 2025-26 contributors, including Quentin Grimes, Andre Drummond and Kelly Oubre Jr.
The 76ers’ biggest question entering 2026-27 will be how quickly their rebuilt roster develops continuity. Johnson’s assessment, however, is that James’ experience as a primary facilitator should help reduce the adjustment required when four accomplished offensive players share the floor.
James enters the season with four NBA championships and four Finals MVP awards, while Johnson won five championships during his Lakers career. Johnson also played a direct role in bringing James to Los Angeles in 2018, making his assessment of James’ ability to lead a star-heavy roster particularly relevant as Philadelphia begins its new era.
