August 28, 2026
David Butler II/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Which Eastern Conference team has the best chance of stopping the Sixers from reaching the NBA Finals?
In his first summer on the job, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey loaded up.
The Sixers first traded Paul George and four draft picks to the Boston Celtics, landing five-time All-Star and 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown in return. That move opened the door for LeBron James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, to decide he wanted to finish his legendary career in Philadelphia, rounding out a starting five also including Brown, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid.
But, just as the Sixers have loaded up, so have many of their competitors in the Eastern Conference.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a member of the Miami Heat. Anthony Davis and Trae Young are both set to suit up for the Washington Wizards. Kawhi Leonard is (likely) returning to the Toronto Raptors. The Indiana Pacers are getting Tyrese Haliburton back. Even the Celtics, in the aftermath of swapping Brown for George, pried Mitchell Robinson away from the New York Knicks. But the defending champions are running back the rest of their title-winning rotation.
The Eastern Conference may be better in 2026-27 than it ever has been before, with several teams entering the season under the belief they can appear in the NBA Finals – and at least 11 teams expecting to make the playoffs.
Over the last two weeks, PhillyVoice has scouted the Sixers' competition, looking at their 10 most significant obstacles in the Eastern Conference, evaluating their offseasons and judging their projected depth charts for the season ahead...
SCOUTING THE SIXERS' COMPETITION
Wizards | Magic | Hawks | Heat | Raptors
Cavaliers | Pacers | Pistons | Celtics | Knicks
