LeBron James’ arrival on the Philadelphia 76ers team ultimately raises the bar for expectations among other players on the roster. The first one that fans and critics are looking at is Joel Embiid.

The Sixers center had a difficult return to the court as the team fell 114-108 to the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday. Embiid struggled with ball security and shooting in his first preseason appearance alongside new teammate James.

Embiid finished with eight points on 1-of-5 shooting, three rebounds, three assists, and eight turnovers in 24 minutes. After the game, he acknowledged that his performance needed improvement while pointing out that he typically requires time to find his rhythm early in a season.

“Obviously, it's the preseason, especially for me,” Embiid said. “I got to do a better job of taking care of the ball. But [it was the] first game, my first few games usually every year [are like this]. So yeah, it's going to take a few games to get going and just got to do a better job.”

The loss came on a night when James made his preseason debut for Philadelphia. The 41-year-old recorded 10 points, four rebounds, and five assists in 18 minutes, helping the Sixers outscore Brooklyn by 10 during his time on the floor.

Embiid's performance was not the only topic he addressed after the game. He also pushed back against a report claiming James had confronted him for arriving late to practice. The story originated during Philadelphia's game against the New York Knicks, when broadcaster Mike Breen relayed what he had heard about an alleged exchange.

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James subsequently denied the account on social media, and Breen apologized. Embiid also rejected the report and expressed frustration with the attention surrounding it.

“It sucks, but what can you do? It's unfortunate,” Embiid said. “I don't know where that came from. It never happened.”

The seven-time All-Star added that outside speculation could distract the team from its goals and stressed the importance of staying united.