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The anticipation of where LeBron James will be playing his 24th season in the NBA is over after James agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to Shams Charania, a stunning move that will see the league's all-time leading scorer play for his fourth different team. Now, let the talk about whether he can capture a fifth ring begin.
James became the biggest free agent of this summer's class after it was announced June 30 he wouldn't be returning to the Los Angeles Lakers after eight years, opening the door for an open recruitment of the soon-to-be 42-year-old.
His decision to sign with the Sixers was an unexpected way for the saga to end after reports suggested James was likely to return to Cleveland or Miami. But how does he fit next to Jaylen Brown and the rest of Philly's stars.
Out of all the teams James was rumored to be considering the most, including the Cavs, Heat and Warriors, Philaelphia always made the most sense from a roster construction standpoint. A lineup with Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe allows James to seamlessly slide into the defensive power forward spot, where he should be playing at this point in his career anyway.
At the same time, James shouldn't clash much with the team's offensive chemistry, acting as a point-forward who can make scoring easier for everyone around him. Though Maxey is a point guard by size, he's a scorer by nature. James fills a need on this team for a playmaker who can get everyone the ball in the spots they're most effective.
James will effectively be playing the Ben Simmons role next to Embiid, which was highly successful until it wasn't. And though we aren't getting the same Embiid at this stage in his career, and James won't have the same youthful energy as Simmons in his prime, this combination in 2026 is still probably a little better. More importantly, the team around them is too.
Grade: A-
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Grading LeBron James' fit with the 76ers in shocking free agency signing
Continue reading...
James became the biggest free agent of this summer's class after it was announced June 30 he wouldn't be returning to the Los Angeles Lakers after eight years, opening the door for an open recruitment of the soon-to-be 42-year-old.
His decision to sign with the Sixers was an unexpected way for the saga to end after reports suggested James was likely to return to Cleveland or Miami. But how does he fit next to Jaylen Brown and the rest of Philly's stars.
Grading LeBron James' fit with the 76ers
Out of all the teams James was rumored to be considering the most, including the Cavs, Heat and Warriors, Philaelphia always made the most sense from a roster construction standpoint. A lineup with Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe allows James to seamlessly slide into the defensive power forward spot, where he should be playing at this point in his career anyway.
At the same time, James shouldn't clash much with the team's offensive chemistry, acting as a point-forward who can make scoring easier for everyone around him. Though Maxey is a point guard by size, he's a scorer by nature. James fills a need on this team for a playmaker who can get everyone the ball in the spots they're most effective.
James will effectively be playing the Ben Simmons role next to Embiid, which was highly successful until it wasn't. And though we aren't getting the same Embiid at this stage in his career, and James won't have the same youthful energy as Simmons in his prime, this combination in 2026 is still probably a little better. More importantly, the team around them is too.
Grade: A-
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Grading LeBron James' fit with the 76ers in shocking free agency signing
Continue reading...
