Nurse: LeBron a 'table setter' in new Sixers scheme — SkimNews
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- Nick Nurse rolled out offensive schemes on Day 3 of Sixers training camp, calling LeBron James a 'great offense creator' and 'table setter' rather than just a scorer, often initiating possessions on the wing before flowing into actions.
- Philadelphia discussed playing James at point forward this offseason, according to team sources who told ESPN, signaling plans to put the 24-year veteran in heavy ball-handling roles.
- Nurse designated LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe as 'grab-and-go' transition threats, imploring the group to convert defensive stops into fast-break opportunities.
- Jaylen Brown said spacing is 'still kind of figuring it out,' noting that James, Brown and Joel Embiid can each operate from the post and risk crowding the floor if all three plant on the blocks at once.
- Brown has stayed after practice to drill fadeaway counters and 3-point-line outlet passes against double-teams, practicing the kick-out reads he hopes to find Embiid or other stars.
- Nurse described a collaborative approach, saying he consulted with five players before practice and welcomes input from James on offensive concepts rather than dictating schemes from above.
- Philadelphia's preseason opener is scheduled for Monday against the New York Knicks, leaving only a handful of practices before the offense faces a real opposing defense.
Why it matters: The Sixers are reorganizing their identity around LeBron James as a playmaker, with Nurse handing transition duties to a four-man group of James, Maxey, Brown and Edgecombe. The unproven piece is post-spacing among James, Brown and Embiid — all three want touches on the blocks — and Monday's preseason opener against New York is the first live test of how that balance holds up.
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