The latest Sixers ‘noise’: LeBron James denies calling out Joel Embiid for being late
Nick Nurse said he was surprised the report from broadcaster Mike Breen surfaced in the first place.
From the first day of practice, the 76ers talked about how such a star-studded group was going to generate outside noise that the team has to put up with throughout the course of the season.
It has not taken long for that to boil up, with one of the first instances coming during Monday’s preseason win over the New York Knicks, when Knicks and ESPN broadcaster Mike Breen relayed a report that James admonished Joel Embiid for being late to a practice.
James responded to the report on his Instagram account to say, “He ain’t been late, so stop the lies.”
At Wednesday’s practice, coach Nick Nurse said he was “surprised” a report like that surfaced given the camp Embiid has had so far.
“I’m just surprised by what I was told before and what you guys are asking me about, because he’s been excellent,” Nurse said. “He’s in great shape, he’s been on the practice floor. He’s worked very hard and he looks really great. So it just surprises me that something like that came out right now.”
» READ MORE: 'Sixers Extra' season preview: What to expect from LeBron and his new team this year
Nurse reiterated what he said early in training camp, that his focus was just on the team, on managing practices, coming up with game plans, and then as issues popped up, the team would deal with them. At media day, James acknowledged that the noise around the team will be “doubled, tripled and quadrupled now that I’m here.”
Nurse said he had not heard about Breen’s report and James’ refutation of it until Wednesday,
“We’ve had meetings and we’ve talked about, ‘Yes, there’ll be outside noise, but it’s up to us, I think, to manage it,’” Nurse said. “I mean, why have I not heard about it? Well, I am knee deep in training camp, these meetings and getting every meticulous detail down to the practice schedule and all this stuff takes focus.
“Don’t ask me about much that’s going on in the world right now. And I think that’s the way the guys are in this moment.”
» READ MORE: Ariel Hukporti’s season is over after suffering torn Achilles in Sixers’ preseason opener
The Sixers continue their preseason on Thursday in Brooklyn with a game against the Nets. James did not play Monday against the Knicks.
The Sixers then go to Boston for a game Friday but won’t have some players available. Dominick Barlow, who is dealing with a back injury, will be out. Barlow had a wrap on his back at practice Wednesday. Anfernee Simons was getting work in with Tyrese Maxey after Wednesday’s practice, but he also won’t play on the road trip due to a right hamstring issue while Adem Bona (foot) has progressed to on-court work but won’t play either. And Ariel Hukporti underwent right Achilles surgery on Thursday and will miss the remainder of the season.
After an exciting Sixers offseason highlighted by the additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, join Inquirer beat writers Gina Mizell and Chris Hine for a preview of the season. Watch here.
Watch the full interview below and subscribe to the Sixers Extra podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
