The Sixers are in the hunt for LeBron James and Philly is losing its collective mind
The city has been down the road of LeBron flirtations before, but agent Rich Paul added a major boost to the speculation on his podcast.
Rumors no more. LeBron James is officially considering the 76ers as his next team.
On Friday, James’ agent and Klutch Sports head Rich Paul confirmed Philadelphia as a possible destination for the four-time NBA champion on Paul’s “Game Over” podcast. Paul, who hosts the show alongside Max Kellerman, wheeled out a white board filled with the various teams James is considering. The Sixers, one of 10 teams listed, were discussed at length.
“Philadelphia, everything changed,” Paul opened up the conversation, seemingly referring to the 76ers’ trade for former Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
On Thursday, ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst linked James to Philadelphia, referring to Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, who is also a client of Klutch Sports, as “basically a part of LeBron’s extended family.” Kellerman looked to clarify whether the Sixers had gained James’ attention.
“How could you not have the attention when you have Maxey, [VJ] Edgecombe, Brown and [Joel] Embiid?” Paul replied. “[James] loves Maxey so we don’t even have to talk about that,” Paul added. “I think VJ, he helps VJ understand really how to play the game. [Edgecombe is] already super talented, plays both ends of the floor, plays hard every night. The benefit that he gets, I mean, it would be ridiculous. Obviously, Jaylen Brown.”
If James were to join Philadelphia, it is expected that he would be a complement to the scoring prowess of Maxey, Brown, and — when healthy — Embiid. Last season, James’ Los Angeles teammate Luka Dončić led the league in points per game while James still put up near All-Star numbers. In 60 appearances, the 41-year old averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists. Meanwhile, Brown and Maxey finished near the top of the NBA scoring ranks last season, finishing fourth and fifth in points per game, respectively.
However, Embiid’s health seems to loom over James’ decision — as it does over most Sixers conversations. When discussing Philadelphia’s roster, Kellerman pointed out that Embiid is the team’s best player when “on the floor.” This has become a rarity in recent years. The Sixers big man has dealt with a slew of injuries since coming into the league. He has played in just 96 games in the three seasons since his MVP campaign. Paul added that Embiid’s “health and habits” are vital.
Later in the conversation, after discussing Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Miami Heat as a possible option for James, Paul circled back to the Sixers. This time, Paul pointed to the Sixers’ revamped front office as an enticing factor, singling out general manager Jameer Nelson and president of basketball operations Mike Gansey.
“X-factor about the Sixers though, we forgot about something” Paul said. “Jameer Nelson is a part of the front office — ex-player. Mike Gansey, you know Mike Gansey is [an] Ohio guy, played against us in high school.”
Nelson, a native of Chester, starred at Saint Joseph’s before putting together a 14-year NBA career. Nelson, who is just three years older than James, played against the four-time MVP 35 times in the league.
Gansey and James go back even further. As Paul pointed out, the two Ohioans competed in high school with Gansey finishing behind just James in the 2001 Mr. Ohio Basketball race. On Wednesday, Gansey’s brother, Steven, posted a photograph of Gansey and James in high school on X. Paul saw the photograph, referencing it on Game Time.
“Does LeBron remember guys like Gansey?” Kellerman asked.
“Absolutely,” Paul responded.
Along with the Sixers and the Heat, eight other teams were listed on Paul’s white board of possible destinations for James: the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, tCleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets.
What Sixers fans are saying
Paul’s comments about James’ likelihood of landing in Philadelphia sent ripples through Sixers social media — which was already on high alert following multiple reports and speculation on the subject Thursday.
Others are playing the role of detective, drawing attention to the order of the white board names and a suspicious star next to Maxey’s name.
Meanwhile, some are not buying the speculation or are experiencing flashbacks to 2018 free agency. Then, James was linked to the Sixers and the city launched a campaign to sign the all-time great. Sixers representatives, headlined by then-coach and interim general manager Brett Brown, met with Klutch Sports but James did not attend the meeting. Soon after, he opted for the bright lights of Los Angeles instead.