LeBron James chooses 76ers for NBA finale
LeBron James has agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Editor’s note: Get live updates on LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers here.
It took 24 days, but LeBron James was determined.
After informing the Lakers in late June that he was leaving the franchise, James announced on Friday, July 24, that he would sign with the Philadelphia 76ers to form the East’s superteam in hopes of winning his fifth career NBA championship.
This was announced after weeks of speculation about where James would land. James proceeded carefully through the process, weighing his options and settling on the Sixers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.
James will turn 42 in December, but this is still a massive power shift that will have a huge impact on the entire league.
Here are the winners and losers of LeBron James’ decision to sign with the 76ers.
winner
Mike Gansey, Bob Myers, and the revamped 76ers front office
Think about it. Just two months ago, the 76ers fired former basketball czar Daryl Morey after the Knicks handily defeated Philadelphia in the conference semifinals. Since then, Bob Myers, president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and former general manager of the Warriors, has hired Mike Gansey as president of basketball operations.
All Gansey did was overturn Paul George’s onerous contracts with 29-year-old five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown and lure James to Philadelphia. Gandhi has deep ties to James and the Cavaliers. Suddenly, with the 76ers, he formed one of the most impressive starting fives in all of basketball.
Tyrese Maxey
76ers star Tyrese Maxey, who is also a client of Klutch Sports Group, the same agency as James, had a great offseason. In addition to acquiring a big offensive reliever in Jaylen Brown, the addition of James gives Philadelphia a playmaking ball handler and another player with championship experience. Maxey was one of the players involved in pitching for James with the 76ers, and now the 25-year-old two-time All-Star is ready to take another leap forward.
Over the past two seasons, he has had to shoulder a huge burden offensively, especially as the 76ers have been plagued by numerous injuries. This takes a lot of pressure off Maxey to lead the Sixers to championship contention.
lebron james
He took the time to carefully consider his options and made decisions on his own terms. And while many, including NBA commissioner Adam Silver, may have resented the 24-day schedule, James ultimately decided this was what was best for his family and his career.
James also joins a team where he doesn’t have to be a core player and can be a complementary player. That’s essential given his age and declining availability. The 76ers’ deep roster also means James won’t have to strain himself during the grind of the regular season and can stay fresh for the postseason.
nick nurse
With so many holes to feed, it will be up to coach Nick Nurse to plan a system that highlights everyone’s strengths, but James’ passing and creation should mesh well.
Admittedly, this is a good problem to have. However, if expectations are not met, the disappointment will be huge. The Sixers, like the Knicks before them, are looking to break a decades-long championship drought. Philadelphia is currently 43 years old. Now it’s up to the nurse to finish it off.
loser
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors
It was an uphill battle for the Warriors, who were looking to add elite playmaking to take advantage of a shrinking franchise thanks to Stephen Curry. Perhaps no player in the NBA has been more responsible for his team’s struggles than the 38-year-old Curry.
Golden State missed out on Giannis Antetokounmpo and now on James, a longtime friend and fan of Curry and veteran Warriors forward Draymond Green. James would certainly have made this roster even older, but Golden State is desperately lacking a playmaking creator to pair with Curry, one of the hardest-working players in the league. Curry always looks to create space off the ball, but he’s also tasked with creating off the dribble. Golden State’s hopes now rest on Curry maintaining that pace and on 36-year-old Jimmy Butler finally returning to form after suffering a torn ACL on Jan. 20.
Miami Heat still needs another playmaker
It’s not that bad to be disappointed when you already got the best move of the offseason. And Giannis Antetokounmpo will make Miami much better than it already is. But the combination of James and Antetokounmpo would have given the Heat two of the best fast-break players of the modern era, if not always.
Heat point guard Davion Mitchell recently practiced with Antetokounmpo in Greece, and Mitchell posted an impressive 4.19 assist-to-turnover ratio, but Miami could still use another ball handler and creator. And now the market is virtually exhausted and options are limited.
boston celtics
They weren’t even in the James sweepstakes, but the decision still adds to Boston’s slump this offseason. James signing with the Sixers happened as the 76ers injected young talent into their roster, at least on a significant basketball level. And no player is more famous than Jaylen Brown, whom Philadelphia acquired on July 1 in a deal with Boston.
The Sixers were already looking like legitimate contenders in the East, even without James. His addition makes the 76ers one of the favorites to win the conference, behind the defending champion Knicks. It’s safe to say that if Brown isn’t traded in Philadelphia, James won’t sign in Philadelphia.
To make matters worse, the Celtics just blew a 3-1 series lead in the first round of the playoffs. The 76ers were the team that beat Boston. And as it stands, the Sixers have been much better and the Celtics have regressed.
