The Sixers will travel to Abu Dhabi for preseason games vs. the Knicks on Oct. 2 and Oct. 4. They’ll begin their regular season by facing the Celtics on Oct. 22. 

Before the action commences, we’re looking at key questions for the 2025-26 Sixers. 

First was: Are the Sixers about to enter a true youth movement? 

Second: Can the Sixers be a passable rebounding team? 

The 2024-25 Sixers had many weaknesses to choose from.

Health was the largest, but rebounding also stood out as a persistent problem. 

No team that uses an NBA-record 54 starting lineups is going to rebound well. Still, the Sixers’ rebounding woes did not solely stem from injuries. 

According to Cleaning the Glass, the 2024-25 Sixers ranked last in defensive rebounding percentage (after a 26th-placed finish the year prior). They were 22nd in offensive rebounding percentage. 

Time and again, the team’s lack of size was both glaring and deflating. 

“There’s probably nothing to dispirit your defense more than that, when you get (stops) and keep giving them another chance,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said on Feb. 10.

So, on top of improved health, do the Sixers have a viable formula for adequate rebounding next season?

Their guards will need to chip in plenty. Jared McCain and No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe were strong guard rebounders in college. Tyrese Maxey snagged a career-high 11 boards last year in his Dec. 8 triple-double against the Bulls. Nurse will push all of them to work on the glass.

“I love the rebounding,” Nurse said of Maxey’s triple-double day. “He’s got the tools to steal the ball, he’s got the tools to rebound. He can be fast, he can jump. I really like the rebounding.”

Nurse will encourage most of his wings and forwards — Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr., Trendon Watford — to grab the ball and go. He’ll stress the first part of that equation.

It will be interesting to see whether Nurse tweaks his big-picture approach.

He’s tended to prioritize turnover-forcing aggression and transition offense, neither of which are conducive to solid defensive rebounding. Perhaps Nurse will ask his players to blitz, scramble and gamble a bit less to give them a better chance at good box-outs. The Sixers also played regular zone defense last season and unsurprisingly struggled to end those possessions. 

As long as the Sixers shine in other areas, they won’t need to be a great rebounding team. Mediocre might work just fine … and be a significant improvement upon their showing last season.