The Philadelphia 76ers have spent the offseason giving themselves an embarrassment of riches, as the additions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James have given them the most dangerous starting lineup in the league. Just because there’s a lot of talent in town, though, doesn’t automatically mean this team is going to win a championship.
The guy who is going to be tasked with putting all the pieces of the puzzle together is head coach Nick Nurse. While Nurse has experience working with superstar groups in the past, nobody has ever had the collection of talent at their disposal that he currently possesses. And yet, based on his latest comments about James, it sounds like Nurse already has a plan in place for the future Hall of Famer.
Nick Nurse Seemingly Indicates LeBron James Will be Sixers’ Point Guard
Brown and James are a star pairing in their own right, but they are joining a team that already featured the likes of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe. Put these guys all together, and you have the makings of a championship-caliber group on paper. Of course, getting the results on the court is a completely different story.
It’s going to be a tough task for Nurse to find a way to make sure everyone in this starting five remains happy throughout the year. Adding James was a good move, though, as he can join Brown and Embiid in the frontcourt. However, it turns out, on offense at least, James may take on an unexpected role for his new team.
The overarching assumption is that Maxey would operate as the team’s point guard, even with James in town. A skilled passer himself, though, Nurse appeared to indicate that James will actually be the team’s creator on offense, even though Maxey is fresh off averaging a career-high 6.6 assists per game last season.
“He is an offense creator,” Nurse said of James on “Takeoff with John Clark.” “He is certainly a guy that will bring the ball up the floor and try to create for himself and others. He is really good for others.”
Should the Sixers Use LeBron James as Their Point Guard?
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This isn’t a definitive statement revealing Nurse’s plans for James, but this shows the dilemma that having so many good players at your disposal creates. Maxey is one of the best offensive engines in the league, and for all intents and purposes, he appears to be the face of this team. Would Nurse really take the ball out of his hands to allow James to run the offense in his age-42 season?
There’s no right or wrong answer here, because both of these guys are good enough to justify bringing the ball up the court. However, this offense is not cut and dry, and guys will likely be interchanging roles on every possession. James is going to get his touches on offense, though, because even with all the talent on the roster, he is still one of Philly’s best players.
Nick Nurse Sheds Light on LeBron James’ Sixers Role