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Sixers are oozing with positive vibes on the eve of training camp. This time there is no ‘outside noise.’

The team was buzzing on media day over the triumvirate of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey. Worries over the likes of Harden and Simmons are a thing of the past.

From left, Sixers stars Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George pose for a photographer at the team's media day in Camden.
From left, Sixers stars Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George pose for a photographer at the team's media day in Camden.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer

In recent seasons, the 76ers’ media day had been filled with questions about disgruntled cornerstone players who wanted out.

This summer, the Sixers restocked the roster with players who desire to be in Philadelphia and have a common goal. So the team’s media day on Monday was a chance to look back on that transformation while also discussing the quest to win the franchise’s first NBA title since 1983.

“I think we’ve got a better team sitting here today than we did last year, especially with what was going on and probably wasn’t going to be a part of that,” said second-year Sixers coach Nick Nurse, who dealt with the James Harden distraction at the start of last season. “That’s a first good step to be ahead, but I’ve got to get there and see it.”

While Nurse took a cautious approach, pointing out that Monday is “Day 1,” his players weren’t hesitant to express themselves.

“I came here to win a championship,” said Eric Gordon, one of several key new additions. “And that’s the only goal that I have. I think this team is capable of doing that.

“We do have a lot of new guys on this team. So chemistry is going to be huge. So chemistry, health, and you know, like I said, once those are good. I think we can take our chances.”

The free-agent acquisition of Paul George was the first step in turning a Sixers squad that suffered a disappointing first-round playoff exit into a legitimate title contender.

On paper, the nine-time All-Star swingman helps the Sixers form arguably the league’s best Big Three with 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star Joel Embiid and All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey.

The Sixers also re-signed Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry, and KJ Martin while adding Andre Drummond, Caleb Martin, Reggie Jackson, Guerschon Yabusele, and Gordon via free agency. And they selected Jared McCain and Adem Bona in the NBA draft in June.

“I think we’ll be really good,” George said. “I will be hopeful that we’re one of the best teams in the NBA. Top three in the East for sure, but I think we should be able to compete for a championship. You think of Joel being one of the best if not the best big in the NBA. Tyrese being one of the young stars, up-and-coming perennial All-Stars in this league, but then you have veteranship, you have leadership, you have guys that have been in meaningful games — meaningful playoff runs.

“It’s a well-balanced group, so I do think we have high expectations of being one of the best teams and the last team standing.”

» READ MORE: Dikembe Mutombo has died from brain cancer. Joel Embiid said the former Sixer ‘was a role model of mine.’

This is a different vibe from the 2021 and 2023 media days, when Ben Simmons and Harden, respectively, were no-shows.

Simmons, a three-time All-Star, refused to attend training camp for the 2021-22 season and refused to play in the Sixers organization again. The team eventually parted ways with him in a blockbuster trade to the Brooklyn Nets for Harden on Feb. 10, 2022.

But in a contract squabble, Harden vowed in August 2023 to never be a part of an organization that included Daryl Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations. Harden did, however, report to last season’s training camp after missing media day in Camden and the first training-camp practice at Colorado State University.

After Harden was inactive for the first three games, the Sixers traded the 10-time All-Star on Nov. 1 to his hometown Los Angeles Clippers.

Instead of focusing on the season, the Sixers spent their media days in 2021 and 2023 answering questions about Simmons and Harden.

“It’s extremely important to go into camp, obviously, without any negativity or outside noise,” said Embiid, who signed a three-year $193 million extension through the 2028-29 season.” Obviously, the last few years, we’ve had a lot of those. I think, like I said, it’s extremely important. But I think with the team that we built this year, it’s not just about this year. I see this as a long-term thing.

“Obviously, I want to finish my career here. I just extended it. I think at least PG signed a four-year deal; who knows if he still wants to play after. But I think we’ve got a pretty good opportunity to be consistent.”

» READ MORE: Dikembe Mutombo, the most unappreciated Sixers great and Joel Embiid’s role model, dies at 58

Embiid knows it’s going to take time to get everyone on the same page. He realizes there might be some growing pains along the way. “But I think we’ve got guys that just fit on and off the court,” he said. “That’s what you need when it comes to team building and culture. I’m excited to go out there.”

Right now, the Sixers and New York Knicks have the best chances to contend with the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics for the title. Philly’s projected starting lineup of George, Martin, Embiid, Oubre, and Maxey matches up well against the Celtics’ and Knicks’ starters. The Sixers also added versatility off the bench. And that versatility gives Jackson confidence that they can win the title.

“We’ve got a bunch of guys who can play both sides of the basketball,” said Jackson, who won an NBA title in 2023 with the Denver Nuggets. “We’ve got a bunch of guys who are hungry. The new style of basketball, the way it is going, is very wing-oriented. Being able to get up and make quick decisions, both offensively, defensively, I think that gives us a great chance at it.

“But like I said, we’re going to have to have a lot of luck, of [good] health. But we’re doing our part in terms of preparation, in terms of working.”

On Monday morning, the Sixers signed Isaiah Mobley to an Exhibit 10 deal, meaning he will start with their G League team in Wilmington. The 6-foot-8 power forward spent the last two seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers after they selected him 49th in the 2022 NBA draft.

Mobley averaged 2.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 23 games.

The signing of the 25-year-old was nothing more than a footnote on a day of optimism and somewhat newfound media-day normalcy for the franchise.

“I think every year brings its own set of challenges,” Morey said. “Obviously, we had some unique ones in prior years [with Simmons and Harden], but this year’s a unique challenge, too. We’ve talked about it before. Obviously, we brought in some really great players like Paul George. Guys with playoff experience like Caleb Martin.

“But we have a lot of new players. … What I like is that the challenges are more traditional. How does the coaching staff figure out how best to use the players? Those are the kind of challenges that are more fun to work on, I think.”