A claim by broadcaster Mike Breen that LeBron James had shouted at Joel Embiid for arriving late to practice has been flatly denied by the players themselves. James posted a short, blunt message on social media: "He ain't been late so stop the lies." Amid the awkwardness that followed, Breen later apologised publicly, saying he regretted trusting an unverified source.
Against the backdrop of the rumours, the Philadelphia 76ers played a pre-season game against the Brooklyn Nets and were beaten 114-108. Embiid spent 24 minutes on court and scored six points, while James registered 10 points in 18 minutes. Embiid confirmed after the game that there is no internal conflict within the squad.
