Just based on what I've seen and read, if you ask four different people who the best player on this team is, you will get four different answers.

Im personally not one of those "what have you done for me lately" guys. I tend to look at a player's performance within a 3 year window for a better idea of what their upcoming season might look like.

- Embiid '23-'24 to '25-'26: 29.4ppg, 9.1rpg, 4.7apg, 61.9 ts%, 32.1mpg

- Maxey '23-'24 to '25-'26: 26.9ppg, 3.8rpg, 6.3apg, 57.5 ts%, 37.7mpg

- LeBron '23-'24 to '25-'26: 23.8ppg, 7.1rpg, 7.9apg, 61.1 ts%, 34.5mpg

- Brown '23-'24 to '25-'26: 24.7ppg, 6.1rpg, 4.4apg, 57 ts%, 34mpg

I will never forget this performance. He looked like a man amongst boys on both sides of the ball. I think its the most complete and dominant game he ever played. Sure it was against the lowly Jazz, but I dont give a shit.

People aren't ready for Embiid's full load.

Let me just start this off with one number: 170%

That is the combined USG% of Brown (36.2), Embiid (33.5), Maxey (29.4), James (27.2), Simons (23.6), and Edgecombe (20.1). Thats just 6 guys, so as you can see, there will definitely have to be sacrifices made by multiple parties.

Couple more numbers:

□ Combined USG% of George, Oubre, Grimes, and Drummond: 75.4%

□ Combined USG% of Brown, James, Simons, and Wade: 96.9%

On the surface, it appears the Sixers have to trim 21.5% of combined usage. Then you have to factor in the increased availability of JB, and potentially 10-20 more games from Embiid. So youre probably trimming around 33% of combined usage.

The thing that nobody seems to understand or wants to address is this: all 5 guys in our starting lineup would likely be more effective for longer stretches with a reduction in their usage.

One relevant example would be the Warriors dynasty that Bob Myers oversaw, and how they all had to sacrifice their USG% when KD came:

□ '16 Curry - 32.6 / '17 Curry - 30.1

□ '16 KD - 30.6 / '17 KD - 27.8

□ '16 Klay - 26.3 / '17 Klay - 26.1

□ '16 Green - 18.8 / '17 Green - 16.2

□ 16 Iggy - 12.1 / '17 Iggy - 11.2

Another even more relevant example would be the LeBron led Heatles:

□ '10 LBJ - 33.5 / '11 LBJ - 31.5

□ '10 Wade - 34.9 / '11 Wade - 31.6

□ '10 Bosh - 28.7 / '11 Bosh - 23.5

□ '10 Mario - 16.3 / '11 Mario - 15.0

So what would that look like for the Sixers?

□ First, Jaylen Brown is gunna take a big hit. He had no help in Boston, but thats not the case here. I expect him to drop to something like 27.2%, more in line with his career averages. (-9%)

□ Next is Maxey. He has clearly been overburdened the last 3 seasons. I think getting him down to 25.4%, closer to his usage with Harden would be beneficial. (-4%)

□ Unfortunately for VJ, being the youngest and least decorated naturally means his usage will drop considerably. Something like 15.1% seems right. (-5%)

□ Simons will see his usage fall with staggered lineups and more of an off-ball role. I think 17.6% is appropriate for him. (-6%)

□ The Big Man himself. I expect his role to look a little more like it did in his Olympic run with Bron. Still a weapon but not every play going through him. For the first time in his career, his usage will dip below 30%, to about 28.5%. (-5%)

□ King James. LeCoach will act as a pure point guard, I expect a career high in assists and a career low in FGA. With him being 42 and playing on a minimum, I wouldnt be surprised to see a small dip to 26.2. (-1%)

Remember that 170% number we started with? Now it's down to 140%. But wait, theres more!

□ Walker played 64 games with 3.3 FGA

□ McCain & Payne combined for 59 games and 6.4 FGA

□ Watford played 53 games with 5.1 FGA

How many shots got freed up right there? If we need more wiggle room than that, were taking shots from role players like Wade, Barlow, & KCP. Obviously injuries and lineup changes make all this math less than perfect, but im just trying to paint a picture of how things might shape up.

“As the season progressed, it became clear the star center didn’t see eye-to-eye with the front office and the coaching staff. In the days before the February trade deadline, he implored the front office to do something other than what he termed ‘ducking the (luxury) tax.’ As such, he — along with others in the locker room — were not happy with the decision to trade second-year guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder, particularly without bringing in a player to replace McCain. In interviews over the next few games, Embiid noticeably had to hold himself back from verbally criticizing the front office.”