There has been plenty of talk and noise regarding LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers as a potential destination for him this offseason. The 76ers seem to improve on paper, especially with the addition of 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, as well as adding a sharp-shooting guard in Anfernee Simons.
Nonetheless, there are still opportunities for enhancement in terms of Philadelphia’s roster. With all the talk about James, the 23-year NBA veteran is available on the free-agent market this summer. So, would the four-time NBA champion, the league’s all-time leading scorer, and arguably one of the greatest ever to play the game make a good fit with Philadelphia?
Philadelphia already looks like a contender as it aims to end its 43-year NBA title drought, and LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, alongside Max Kellerman, discussed exactly how the four-time NBA champion would fit with the 76ers during Friday morning’s edition of their podcast “Game Over.”
“Philadelphia, everything changed,” Paul said. “How could you not have their attention when you have Maxey, Edgecombe, Brown, and Embiid?
It prompted Kellerman to interject, saying:
“They’re missing a piece. All they really need here is a power forward who can sink the game and shoot.”
“That’s why LeBron fits right in the middle,” Paul replied. “But think about it. He loves Tyrese Maxey, so we don’t even have to talk about that. I think he helps VJ [Edgecombe] understand really how to play the game. The benefit that he [Edgecombe] gets, I mean, it would be ridiculous. And obviously, you have Jaylen Brown.”
Paul then went on to add front-office names Jameer Nelson and Mike Gansey as another X-factor in luring James:
“You know, Mike Gansey’s a hot guy. He actually played against [LeBron] in high school. There’s a picture floating around that Mike Gansey’s brother put out of Mike and LeBron back when they were a part of the high school Ohio All-Americans for the season.”
The fact that Paul is openly talking about the 76ers’ interest in James means there is a more than decent chance he lands there in the offseason.
What the 76ers’ Starting Lineup Would Look Like if They Secured LeBron James
There is no doubt that LeBron James would have a massive impact on some of the younger players on the 76ers, specifically Tyrese Maxey and 20-year-old VJ Edgecombe. In that sense alone, he would be a great veteran leader who knows exactly what it takes to be successful in the NBA.
To add to the elite leadership that the 41-year-old James would bring to the roster, he remains an incredibly talented and effective player on the floor. In his 23rd season in the league with the Los Angeles Lakers this past year, James finished third on the team in scoring, averaging 20.9 points along with 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.
The potential addition of James would give the 76ers a formidable frontcourt, making the projected starting five look something like this:
PG: Tyrese Maxey
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: VJ Edgecombe
PF: LeBron James
C: Joel Embiid
That rotation should easily allow the 76ers to compete for a spot at the top of the playoffs. Not to mention, Philadelphia would still boast incredible scoring depth coming off the bench with the likes of rookie LaBaron Philon Jr., Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade, and Dominick Barlow.
Securing James makes perfect sense for Philly, but actually getting him there is much easier said than done.
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