Thoughts on LeBron Going to Philadelphia
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LeBron James has made his decision on where he will play basketball this upcoming season. He chose, after some long deliberation, the Philadelphia 76ers. Let’s discuss.
The 76ers were always mentioned as a possible team, but it felt far fetched. It doesn't go along with his narrative, he has no ties to the city, he has never had to face them in any high pressure situations, it sounded like a pipe dream to me. I even wrote a few weeks back how I thought that Cleveland was the best option, and I would have put Miami next and then Golden State before I even ranked Philly. But here we are, and I have some thoughts.
First off, I love that he chose the 76ers. Of all the teams mentioned, this one seems like the easiest fit for him as a player. He can come in right away and be the point guard. Tyrese Maxey isn't a point guard, he's a legit 2 guard. VJ Edgecombe may eventually be the point guard, but he can now learn how to play it properly playing with James. Jaylen Brown is better off the ball, and Joel Embiid has never, ever wanted ball handling duties. This is a seamless fit for, what I believe to be, James' best option at this point in his career. Labaron Philon is a rookie, so we, much like Edgecombe, will get valuable time learning from one of the best to ever play. Anfernee Simons is a shooter. Dean Wade is too big to be a point guard, and they brought him in for defense anyway. Caleb Love is a 2, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who they are about to sign, is a veteran 3 and D guy. The 76ers needed someone they could trust to bring the ball up the floor and run the offense.
Another advantage Philly has over a team like Cleveland, LeBron won't have to be superhuman on defense. I know that Embiid's health is, and always will be, a major issue. But when he is on the floor he is one of the best rim protectors in the NBA. I think Jaylen Brown is one of the better two way players in the league. He goes hard on both ends, and he has to guard the opponents best players a lot of nights. Edgecombe showed growth on that end last season, and Maxey is an ever improving defensive guy. Dean Wade, as mentioned before, is a solid defender. They brought in Andre Drummond for defense. Maybe they will turn Philon Jr into a defense first guard. The 76ers have way more, and way better, defensive options than the Cavs. If James' decision was solely based on defense, Miami may have been the better choice, but Philly is no slouch.
I also think he may have chosen the 76ers because it is all gravy for him at this point. He's done everything and then some than any NBA player could ever dream of doing. He has rings, MVP trophies, Finals MVP trophies, is a perenial all NBA guy and people seem to love him. If he can make Philly a legit title contender, or even win one with them in the next two seasons, his legend will only grow from there.
Now, as with everything, there look to be some downsides to this as well. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe like to fly up and down the floor. That was when the 76ers were at their best last season. When they gave the keys to those guys and just let them run, the 76ers looked like a fun team. I fear, with James being the guy with the ball in his hands most of the time, those two won't get as many opportunities to run, and that could stifle their growth as the focal points of the team. And don't get it twisted, this is Tyrese Maxey's team now. He is the one they are trying to keep and build around. Adding Jaylen Brown was a big deal, but Maxey is the number one guy. Getting James to sign was awesome, but he has to know this is Maxey's team. I assume Embiid figured that out last season when he played and his post touches went way down. Maxey is the dude here, and Edgecombe is the clear number two guy. I don't think James will stifle them much, but any hindrance would be worrisome for me.
Joel Embiid and LeBron staying on the floor for long periods of time will be a problem as well. LeBron will be 42 in December. I will be 44 in December and getting older is tough on the body. LeBron James is a medical marvel, but time catches up to all of us at some point. And we all know Embiid's story way too well. He is such a supernova talent, but he is barely ever healthy. And he gets weird injuries too. It's not always your typical stuff.
I also worry that James may want to bring in "his guys". They have already done that with Caldwell-Pope. But what if he wants some of his other buddies to come to Philly? Russell Westbrook needs a new team, but that would not be so good for Philly. I know DeMar DeRozan is a free agent, but he is far too old to team him up with Edgecombe and Maxey in the backcourt. I heard that James may have wanted to team up with Kyrie Irving again, but if Philly were to trade for him, they would have to trade some good, young talent.
LeBron James comes with a host of great things, but there's also some issues too. I think Philly is done adding players. I fully believe they're all set now. They have one of the best starting fives in the NBA, if they can all stay on the floor. They are going to be a blast to watch. Again, I love that James chose this squad over all the other options. But I will be watching to see if anything looks funky or weird as we get deeper into the season. As of right now though, LeBron going to the 76ers makes them a legit title contender, and one of the top four teams in the East in my opinion.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.