NBA made the official announcement that LeBron James to the 76ers was official. It goes without saying that Magic Johnson, an avid follower of the sport after his retirement, was just as excited as anybody else. He tweeted and applauded the team’s moves in bagging James and Jaylen Brown. Branding the team as “the biggest threat to the World Champion Knicks in the Eastern Conference” felt good, but that also comes with some important questions for Johnson.

The former NBA player had some questions for 76ers coach Nick Nurse. He wrote on X:

“After trading for one of the best two-way players in the league and NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown, the Sixers then signed the biggest free agent on the market this summer, 4x NBA champion and future Hall of Famer LeBron James.

“LeBron makes the Sixers one of the best teams in the NBA and the biggest threat to the World Champion Knicks in the Eastern Conference. Philly’s starting lineup will have four All-Stars, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey, and offensively they will be great. But all four are used to having the ball in their hands, so I’m interested to see what type of offense Coach Nurse draws up.

“I have two big questions for Philly: one is on the defensive end, and two is their team chemistry. If they answer those two… watch out!”

Ever since the LeBron James move was reported, the usage rate for the new starting five has been in question for the right reasons. Usage rates last year:

• LeBron James: 27%
• Tyrese Maxey: 29%
• V. J. Edgecombe: 19%
• Jaylen Brown: 35%
• Joel Embiid: 32%.
• Total: 142%

Now, if all five players played together, their usage rates would naturally change because they would have to share possessions. But another issue that Magic Johnson pointed out was the defensive duties.

Joel Embiid remains the foundation anchoring the paint with elite rim protection. Last year, Jaylen Brown was not the best defender for the Celtics, as his priority was shot-making. Now LeBron James is 41, making it unrealistic to expect him to defend at peak intensity every night.

Tyrese Maxey continues to improve, but at 6-foot-2, opposing offenses will relentlessly target him in switches and pick-and-rolls. Rookie VJ Edgecombe, at 6-foot-4, brings athleticism, but one year is too small a sample size to judge his abilities.

Another issue that head coach Nurse has to solve is different tempos and balancing those styles.

For the Sixers, Tyrese Maxey was one of the NBA’s fastest guards who thrived on transition, and Edgecombe too is explosive when it comes to attacking the rim in transition. Now, the addition of Brown and LeBron James only amplifies that strength. Both ranked among the NBA’s most productive transition scorers last season, making them dangerous when the game speeds up.

Philadelphia could become one of the league’s best fast-break teams, but the challenge is Joel Embiid.

Embiid is most effective in a slower, half-court offense where he can establish deep post position, force double teams, and dictate the pace. Constantly running up and down the floor limits his impact, increases fatigue, and may raise injury concerns over a long season. While the roster is set, there are plenty of question marks that need to be solved.