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3 Storylines to Keep in Mind for the Sixers’ 2026 Summer League Showing

Amid the Jaylen Brown hype and LeBron James wishing, there’s still basketball to be played.
Jacob Moreno|
Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the twenty second pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. after he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the twenty second pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. after he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers’ offseason has been exciting, to put it lightly. 

Between their blockbuster acquisition of Jaylen Brown and hopes of snagging LeBron James, it’s easy for fans to forget about summer league. But the show goes on. Philadelphia will start its summer league circuit against the Detroit Pistons at 5:30 p.m., Eastern time, on Prime at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday.

Here are three storylines surrounding the Summer Sixers.

Labaron Philon Jr.

Philon, who the Sixers selected 22nd overall in June's draft, will be their biggest attraction.

The Alabama product is projected to have an immediate role entering his rookie year as Tyrese Maxey’s backup. Philadelphia drafted him in part because of his three-level scoring and shot creation for himself and others—qualities that the Sixers’ bench lacked in 2025-26. Philon has an opportunity to show those talents throughout this four-game slate.

It’s easy to get caught up in summer league box scores, but the eye test is much more critical, especially when it comes to a player like Philon. The 20-year-old’s biggest area of development will be putting on more muscle, weighing 176 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine in May.

What I’m looking for is how Philon responds to the taste of NBA physicality he’ll receive, whether that is against his rookie peers or mid-20s players who are hungry to remain or break into the league. Can Philon get to his spots? Will he be pushed around defensively? How will those things affect his processing?

One thing is for sure, Philon will get buckets. It’s just a matter of how they come.

Johni Broome

To say Broome’s rookie campaign did not go as he would've hoped is an understatement.

Philadelphia’s former 35th overall pick played only 11 games with the Sixers, posting less than a point per game on an average of five minutes. He then tore his right meniscus during a Delaware Blue Coats game in February.

For one reason or another, Broome couldn’t display his rebounding and passing chops or his willingness to expand his shooting range at the NBA level. But he did so with the Blue Coats, averaging 22.9 points, eight rebounds and 3.7 assists in 18 games. This also included a 30.9% mark from 3-point range on 5.2 tries.

Broome’s interior scoring may pop in summer league, but it probably won’t translate to the Sixers. His swing skill will be perimeter shooting, which he must leverage with IQ to potentially carve a role in Nick Nurse’s rotation. I’m interested to see how Broome moves coming off that injury and what projectable tools he can show.

Duke Miles

The team officially signed Miles to an exhibit-10 contract on Tuesday. He’ll get a crack in summer league.

Miles, a 24-year-old undrafted free agent, completed a six-year collegiate career. He notched 16.1 points on 43.5% shooting from the field, 4.5 assists and 2.6 steals (conference-leading) for Vanderbilt this year. 

Defense is Miles’ calling card, showcasing the ability to force turnovers with ball pressure and defend the perimeter at a high level. He’s also a capable ballhandler who thrives the most in pick-and-roll scenarios. His age was likely the reason he was undrafted, but this is an opportunity for him to snatch Philadelphia’s last two-way contract or impress elsewhere.

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Jacob Moreno
JACOB MORENO

Jacob Moreno is a Sports Media major at Temple University who aspires to become a 76ers beat writer. He previously contributed to The Sixer Sense and also covers Temple Athletics for The Temple News. He is a huge Marvel nerd and falls victim to expensive Lego sets.

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