The Philadelphia 76ers have had the best offseason of any team in the NBA, and that has now been confirmed. They tried to sign LeBron James from the moment that he decided he was no longer going to play for the Lakers after eight seasons.
Now, James has finally made his decision. He has decided to sign with the Sixers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. He will sign a two-year deal worth $8 million that includes a player option. He now becomes the final member of their starting lineup.
LeBron James Decides to Sign with the 76ers
James made the decision to sign with Philly over a plethora of other interested teams. Miami, Cleveland, Golden State, and Minnesota were the other teams that he was seriously considering. In the end, he decided that Philadelphia was the right place for him.
Last season, James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. He shot 51.5 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. With those stats, he proved that he is still a solid player who can contribute to a championship team.
Signing James give the 76ers much more flexibility with the roster. They have now added James and Jaylen Brown this offseason. The starting lineup of Maxey, Edgecombe, Brown, James, and Embiid is as formidable as any team in the NBA.
Bringing James in also allows the Sixers to rest Embiid for large portions of the regular season. That is something that is necessary for him to be available in the postseason. Not having Embiid healthy last postseason kept them from advancing past the New York Knicks.
Having James in the lineup gives them the potential to get a high seed in the Eastern Conference while managing Embiid’s minutes. James also doesn’t need to be the primary ball-handler in this lineup, as the 76ers have plenty of other guys who can manage those duties.
The Sixers Become Instant Title Contenders
With James in the lineup, the 76ers instantly become one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference. They have gotten better than any other team in the offseason with the moves that they were able to make. Last season, Philly had just the 16th-best offense in the league.
Adding James should help improve that number massively. His ability to score and pass is exactly what this team needs heading into next season. This will likely be the final team that he plays for in his career, as he is already 41 years old. He clearly wants to win a title.
If James can win a title, he might have a claim to be the GOAT. He is clearly chasing that legacy with this decision. If he can stay healthy, the 76ers have a real shot to end their long title drought, which is something that probably came into play here.
The Sixers now have a solid eight guys in their rotation that they can rely on. Adding James is the final piece that they have been waiting to add for the last few weeks.
76ers Win LeBron James Sweepstakes in Stunning Move