A model from Casino.org Canada took Philadelphia’s new starting five and ran the math on what actually happens when you put five ball-dominant scorers on the same floor. Jaylen Brown’s 28.7 points a game drops as low as 22.4, and Tyrese Maxey’s 28.3 falls to as low as 22.0, which are pretty steep cuts in a lineup that combined for more shot attempts last season than Golden State’s superteam ever carried.

That is what Mike Gansey, President of the Philadelphia 76ers, built in one single, audacious offseason. Former NBA player Brendan Haywood raised the redundant-usage concern on a podcast this week, calling the roster’s overlapping strengths a real problem to solve. Even ESPN wondered about the same. But Gansey does not really care about that kind of math.

“My job is to build the best team and try to get as much talent in here as I can,” he said on the 97.5 The Fanatic show. “I’d rather have the talent and kind of figure it out.”

“Jaylen Brown last year with Boston – he had to be the guy, had to do all the usage,” he continued. “Obviously with Philly, Tyrese, VJ – with injuries and guys out — Tyrese played the most minutes in the league. And LeBron in LA, Luka was out the last couple months, didn’t play in the playoffs. Austin Reaves was out. So he had to do so much. These guys had to be their number one guys.”

Brown posted a 36.1% usage rate for Boston last season, James 27.2%, Maxey 29.4%, Embiid 33.3% and Edgecombe 20.1%, evidence that all five carried an outsized offensive load last year, exactly the circumstance Gansey is describing.

Moreover, Brown carried Boston through Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury. LeBron James carried the Lakers through Doncic’s hamstring and Reaves’ absence.

Going beyond talent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, who represents both James and Maxey, said on The Ringer’s “Game Over” podcast in July that “Maxey led the charge” in recruiting James to Philadelphia, pointing to their five years of offseason workouts together as a reason the transition would be smoother than joining a roster of strangers.

That said, regarding Brown’s reduced role, “One person around Jaylen Brown told me today, he’s going to approach this with no ego,” Shams Charania said. “There’s gonna be so much sacrifice that’s going to go into next season.”

The Sixers now boast four players who have made at least one All-NBA team in James, Brown, Maxey, and Embiid. Then there is Edgecombe, who is coming off a standout rookie season, making them arguably the most decorated starting five in the Eastern Conference on paper.

“These guys are going to want to be together. They see the big picture. That’s what’s exciting,” 76ers president said. “We got to get to camp. We haven’t even had a practice. We got to see if this thing works.”

It is the belief that four All-NBA players who all want to win a championship will find a way to make the possessions work. Because the alternative, finishing without a title again, is more uncomfortable than any usage concession.