Getty Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers and LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers speak during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center on December 09, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Don’t look now but things are not great for the Los Angeles Lakers. They are currently out of the playoff picture with a 14-21 record, Anthony Davis is out for an undetermined amount of time, and even when fully healthy the roster is poorly constructed. This has led to some frustrations from superstar LeBron James who recently raised some eyebrows with his postgame comments. Following the Lakers’ most recent loss to the Miami Heat, James was asked about how long he believes he is capable and intends to play at his level of output. As the 18-time All-Star replied:
I don’t have a number. I know as long as my mind stays in it, I can play at this level for a minute. Now, that’s up to my mind. My body is going to be OK because if my mind is into it, I will make sure my body is taken care of and I’ll continue to put in the work. So, I’m a winner and I want to win. And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That has always been my passion, that has always been my goal since I entered the league as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio. And I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA. It’s not in my DNA anymore. So, we’ll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays over the next couple years,” per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
With James Harden’s rumored desire to head to Houston this summer potentially opening up a max slot on the Philadelphia 76ers roster, they could find themselves a darkhorse team to attempt to land the superstar.
James’ History with Philadelphia
It should not be forgotten that James considered Philadelphia as a landing spot before signing with the Lakers. The four-time MVP took a visit with the Sixers and as he put it per ESPN’s Rachel Nichols, “I definitely thought long and hard about the possibilities of lining up alongside Ben [Simmons] and [Joel] Embiid.” His decision to go to Los Angeles was driven by the franchise being closer to winning a championship and, while the Lakers got their ring in 2020, the outlook of Philadelphia is now much better comparatively.
@KingJames hey bro hope you’re having a good day…… Want to join us in philly?? Peace
Since this time Joel Embiid has risen to true superstar status and is the type of high-usage player James seems to be looking to pair with. The hope when he went to Los Angeles was that Davis could be this player, but injuries have prevented it from flourishing as planned. It also should be noted that James is ineligible to be traded this season because he signed a two-year extension in the offseason. This is helpful to the Sixers’ case as all indications are they have committed to seeing this season through with Harden and Embiid as the focal points, but that mindset could change for a variety of reasons depending on what the outcome of the year is.
Tyrese Maxey Connection
The politics of the NBA have a great deal to do with player movement and the Sixers are in an interesting spot regarding James. On one hand, James shares the same agent and trainer as Tyrese Maxey. The two have spent time working together this offseason and James has been openly complimentary of the 22-year-old.
Tyrese Maxey getting some work in with LeBron James 👑👀
🎥 via @ChrisJHoops on IG
However, James’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, is the same guy who went toe-to-toe with Sixers President of Basketball Daryl Morey over the handling of the Ben Simmons situation. The debate over the handling of the fines and overall treatment dragged out to court before the two sides reached a settlement. It is unclear how burnt the bridges are, but fair to asses the two aren’t on the greatest of terms.
Regardless, it is a player-driven league and if James wants to get to Philadelphia he likely will find a way. This is not to say this is a likely outcome as several things would have to fall in place for it to be possible, but it cannot fully be ruled out.
It has been frustrating to see James bogged down on the disappointing Lakers team this season as he is still playing at a high level in a way that contributes to winning. There will be a great deal of soul-searching within the 37-year-old as he prioritizes what is most important for the rest of his career. With a legitimate MVP candidate on the roster and a front office not afraid to make a splash, don’t be surprised if the Sixers make an attempt at the future Hall-of-Famer if things go south with Harden.