The NBA's annual general manager survey for the 2026-27 season was recently released, and the Philadelphia 76ers were heavily featured.
Now in its 25th edition, the survey, conducted by NBA.com's John Schuhmann, asked NBA general managers to vote on 48 questions. While the San Antonio Spurs and superstar center Victor Wembanyama dominated the results, several notable categories featured the Sixers and their players.
The Sixers ranked highly following their eventful offseason. In fact, 73% of respondents said Philadelphia made the best offseason moves of any team, with the Miami Heat (10%) and Charlotte Hornets (7%) rounding out the top three.
The Sixers were also among four teams to receive votes to win the NBA championship and finished second in predictions to win the Eastern Conference, trailing only the defending champion New York Knicks. While 60% of respondents picked the Knicks to finish atop the East, another 23% selected the Sixers. No other team received 10% of the vote.
Perhaps more interestingly, the Sixers also ranked first when general managers were asked which team's success was the most difficult to predict. Philadelphia received 27% of the vote this season, down from 47% last year.
While questions remain about how the Sixers will play with four ball-dominant stars, that significant decrease suggests greater confidence in the team's outlook following its major additions and front-office changes under new president Mike Gansey.
Sixers guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe also earned recognition in several categories.
Maxey received votes for the player most likely to have a breakout season and finished first in voting for the fastest player with the ball in his hands.
Edgecombe, the other half of the Maxey-Edgecombe backcourt, received votes for both the most athletic player and the fastest player with the ball.
Several of Philadelphia's newcomers also earned recognition.
Jaylen Brown received votes for the league's best small forward and finished second behind Giannis Antetokounmpo among new acquisitions expected to make the biggest impact. After a career-best season with the Boston Celtics, it's not hard to see why Brown ranked so highly in both categories.
Free-agent additions Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons, along with first-round draft pick Labaron Philon, also appeared in the results.
Wade and Simons received votes for the most underrated free-agent addition, while Philon tied for second with Allen Graves for the biggest steal of the draft, trailing only Milwaukee Bucks rookie Brayden Burries.
MORE: Labaron Philon making case for early rotation minutes
LeBron James appeared throughout the survey, earning recognition in five categories and warranting a section of his own.
James, whom many consider the greatest basketball player of all time, appeared in fewer categories than players such as Luka Dončić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama.
The soon-to-be 24-year veteran received votes for best passer, best leader and most versatile player. He also finished just behind fellow Sixer Jaylen Brown among new acquisitions expected to make the biggest impact.
James was also one of only two players to receive votes for the league's highest basketball IQ, finishing second behind Nikola Jokić, who received two-thirds of the vote.
While the survey is far from perfect, it offers insight into how general managers around the league view the Sixers.
Philadelphia is clearly seen as a team with a higher ceiling than in previous seasons, even with some uncertainty remaining. The results also suggest the team's players are highly regarded around the league, with general managers recognizing not only major additions such as Brown and James but also returning players such as Maxey and Edgecombe.
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