Nurse starts Sixers’ offensive work with LeBron as a creator

Nick Nurse began introducing offensive schemes on the third day of Sixers training camp Thursday, describing LeBron James as a creator who can initiate possessions or receive an early pass on the wing. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported the work in a Thursday evening account from Camden, New Jersey.

The coach’s comments describe how he intends to use the new group. They do not settle every position or rotation decision before the preseason. Philadelphia is still working through how James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey share space and possessions.

Nurse called James “a great offense creator” in McMenamin’s original October 1 post below. The reporter shared those comments earlier Thursday, before publishing the fuller camp account at 6:42 p.m. Eastern.

Several players can start the offense

McMenamin reported that James, Maxey, Brown and VJ Edgecombe are among the players Nurse expects to push the ball after rebounds when a transition opportunity is available. Against a set defense, James can organize the action from the start of a possession or after receiving the first pass.

Adam Aaronson’s independent firsthand PhillyVoice report describes the same approach. Nurse had not anointed James as the point guard, Aaronson reported, and said the team has several players who can advance the ball or trigger an action. That gives Philadelphia multiple ways to begin a possession as players learn their responsibilities.

The Thursday session also changed the balance of camp work. Aaronson reported that Nurse described it as a mental day, with more attention to initial offensive, defensive and out-of-bounds concepts after two days of heavier court work.

Brown acknowledged that the group is still sorting out when he should attack, when Embiid should work from the post and how everyone maintains spacing. McMenamin reported that Brown has also worked with coaches on passing out of post double-teams.

Philadelphia’s preseason will give Nurse a chance to test those combinations. Thursday’s camp comments leave the starting lineup and rotation unsettled.