Amid a 2-11 start that has them in last place in the Eastern Conference, and with their star trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey yet to play a game together, the Philadelphia 76ers held a team meeting following Monday night's 106-89 loss to the Miami Heat.
The loss was the team's fourth in a row, sparking veteran guard Kyle Lowry to call for the meeting -- a much-needed heart-to-heart and a call to action and urgency, sources told ESPN. Players and coaches held each other accountable and took fault in the start to the season.
Maxey challenged Embiid to be on time to team activities, calling out the 2022-23 league MVP about being late "for everything" and how it impacts the locker room, from other players to the coaching staff, sources briefed on the meeting told ESPN.
Maxey and Embiid have a close friendship and a history of holding each other accountable, according to those around the team.
"Tyrese loves Big Fella, but this is the elephant in the room," a person involved in the meeting told ESPN.
Players told 76ers coach Nick Nurse they want to be coached harder, and coaches in turn said they want players to practice with purpose and attention to detail.
Embiid accepted the messages sent in the meeting, sources said, but he stated that he is sometimes confused about what the 76ers are attempting to execute on the court.
Embiid, who was listed as doubtful most of Monday due to an illness, was not seen by most teammates and coaches throughout the day before appearing for warmups and playing in the game.
Maxey is highly regarded as a young leader by many in the organization and those around the team were not surprised that he spoke up Monday. He has been out since Nov. 7 with a strained right hamstring, but sources said he's expected to return this week, either Wednesday in Memphis or Friday at home against the Brooklyn Nets.
Philadelphia transformed its roster in the offseason after falling in six games to the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. The Sixers added George, a nine-time All-Star, on a four-year, $212 million deal to join Embiid and Maxey, who, hours later, signed his own deal for five years and $204 million.
After years of trying and ultimately failing to find the right players to surround Embiid -- from Jimmy Butler to Ben Simmons to James Harden -- the Sixers believed they'd landed on the ideal pair with George and Maxey.
ESPN's Basketball Power Index ranked the Sixers third in its preseason rankings. Their preseason over/under win total was 51.5.
George, recovering from a bone bruise in his left knee, has played in six of the team's first 13 games. Embiid missed the start of the season, as well, with what the team termed "knee injury management," and then was suspended for three games for shoving Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Marcus Hayes. The team is 0-3 since his return.