The most eye-catching thing about the Sixers’ intrasquad scrimmage Saturday morning wasn’t all the new talent on the court, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Joel Embiid overshadowed everything else by displaying mobility and explosiveness that he didn’t have while battling knee issues the past two seasons, as Jones notes that his lateral movement was much better on defense and he was able to guard out to the perimeter.

“This week in training camp has been pretty good,” Embiid said. “There are obviously a lot of new guys. But I’ve played with and against them for most of my career, so I know how to play with them. … Quite honestly, it’s been easy. Everybody is getting together. Everyone is just playing. Practice has been a little more intense and more fun.”

The Sixers believe they’ve moved into title contention after adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown this summer, but they’ll need a healthy version of Embiid to keep up with the best teams in the East. The 32-year-old center averaged 26.9 PPG in the 38 games he played last season, but the limitations caused by his knee prevented him from attacking the basket the way he used to. His performance so far in camp offers hope that he’s overcome that problem.

“He’s been in every single drill and every single practice, so there haven’t been any restrictions,” president of basketball operations Mike Gansey said. “He’s obviously worked super hard this summer. He told me he was motivated. He wants to have a great year, and he’s showing it. He looks a little lighter, obviously, but the skill level is still there. Some of the stuff he does, seeing it in person, it’s incredible. So, we’re excited about him, and he’s been good this first week.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

• James had a few highlights in his first on-court appearance with the team, Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer states in a subscriber-only story. James called the experience “an extension of training camp” as the Sixers prepare for their preseason opener Monday night in New York. “I’m just trying to fast-track everything, offensively and defensively,” he said. “The commands. The calls. The reads, and everything they’ve had in place over the few years. I’m stepping into a new system and I’m stepping into a whole new environment.”
• The new starting lineup of Embiid, James, Brown, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe looked imposing during its time together on the court, per Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. They created mismatches and scored at ease during the first quarter of the scrimmage before subs began being mixed in.
• Outside of the stars, rookie guard Labaron Philon Jr. and free agent addition Ariel Hukporti both stood out during the scrimmage, according to Kyle Neubeck of All Philly. Philon hit a couple of catch-and-shoot jumpers and disrupted several possessions on defense, while Hukporti was competitive against Embiid on both ends of the court.