After adding two Finals MVPs to their roster, where do the Philadelphia 76ers rank among contenders?
Future Hall of Famer and NBA legend LeBron James has announced that he will join the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million contract. Entering his 24th season, James remains one of the league’s elites, but even at this stage of his career, is his arrival enough to elevate the Sixers as championship contenders?
James revealed his decision Friday morning on X, stating “I thought I was done when the season ended.”
Now, James joins Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid on the Sixers, in hopes of winning his fifth NBA title and the franchise’s first in over 40 years.
The 76ers acquired Brown earlier in the offseason from the Boston Celtics in exchange for Paul George and multiple future first round picks. The deal pairs Brown with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, forming one of the league’s premier perimeter trios.
That said, integrating a ball-dominant scorer like Brown is never easy, and no one knew that more than Brown.
But with James in the mix, their jobs will be a lot easier.
Throw The Ball Up.
Time to see what the Sixers are made of.
It’s not often that a franchise has the opportunity to add arguably the greatest playmaker in NBA history to their team, especially for only 2% of their cap. Not only will James lessen the playmaking burden, but he’ll allow each of them to play to their strengths.
After all, none of them are strangers to playing without the ball. Brown spent much of his career alongside stars like Jayson Tatum and Kyrie Irving, thriving as an elite off-ball scorer and finisher. And despite how often people try to forget, the Sixers relied on Ben Simmons and James Harden as their lead offensive engines, with Maxey playing more of a complimentary role, before blossoming into the superstar he is today.
With James controlling the pace, Brown and Maxey can focus on attacking mismatches, scoring in transition and shot creating, and Edgecombe is just the icing on the cake.
With James and Brown entering new phases of their careers, and Embiid still hampered with injuries, the team is in desperate need of an athletic spark, and that is where Edgecombe can thrive.
No More Excuses
Embiid finally got his “Superteam”
Finally, Sixer fans have a team they can truly believe in, but their ceiling still hinges on Embiid’s ability to remain healthy. We saw the impact a dominant Embiid can have during last year’s playoffs, leading the franchise to its first-ever 3-1 series comeback against Brown and the Celtics.
Now, with a legitimate superteam as his supporting cast, Embiid has no excuse.
As far as his fit on the floor, head coach Nick Nurse may have his hands full adding a slow-footed center like Embiid to a roster built to play in transition. However, if he’s willing to adjust his approach, Embiid’s presence could provide an intriguing contrast to the team’s offensive approach.
The New York Knicks showed us just how important offensive rebounding and physicality was during their championship run, and if Embiid embraces the role, he could finally cement himself as an all-time legend.
Despite his age, James continues to dominate the league with his otherworldly I.Q. and experience. Even as he enters the final stages of his career, he is still adding layers to his game, but will it be enough to take down the reigning NBA champs out East and bring championship basketball back to Philadelphia?
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