Rumors Linking LeBron James To The Philadelphia 76ers Shouldn't Be Dismissed

When the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2017 NBA Finals, it was the Los Angeles Lakers who emerged as the favorites to sign LeBron James in the summer of 2018. A few months into the regular season, the Houston Rockets became the new most likely destination for the free-agent-to-be.

Now that the calendar has turned to March, there's a new supposed contender for the NBA’s best player. The latest scuttlebutt says James is eying the Philadelphia 76ers, potentially making the City of Brotherly Love the biggest threat to draw him away from his hometown.

76ers’ color commentator Alaa Abdelnaby said on NBC Sports Philadelphia Tuesday that he heard James was “checking out” Philadelphia private schools during the All-Star break. Other reports claim the three-time champion is seriously considering joining the 76ers this offseason, all in the midst of a billboard campaign by Philadelphia fans to lure James away from the Cavs.

Take a couple of unsubstantiated rumors, add the Cavaliers’ recent struggles, then mix in the 76ers’ undeniably bright future and you’ve got a strong case that James will be the final piece of the Process.

James even seemed tickled by the idea that a company based in Pennsylvania is courting him with three billboards in Cleveland.

“You can say it's a distraction -- it's not. Not a distraction,” James said Tuesday, via ESPN.com. “It is actually very flattering that I'm sitting here at 33 and in my 15th year and teams or guys -- I don't want to say teams because that becomes tampering. But people in their respective city want me to play for them. That's cool I think. That's dope.”

Less than a year ago, the idea that James might depart Cleveland for Philadelphia seemed unfathomable.

The Cavs were headed for a third straight NBA Finals appearance after winning their first title in franchise history. The 76ers finished the regular season with the league’s fourth-worst record, missing the playoffs for a fifth straight year. Neither Joel Embiid (2014 No.3 overall pick) nor Ben Simmons (2016 No.1 overall pick) played in the final two and a half months because of season-ending injuries. Jahlil Okafor (2015 No.3 overall pick) looked like one of the biggest draft busts in recent years.

All that’s happened in the 10 months since is Kyrie Irving demanded a trade and Cleveland was forced to blow up half their roster. Simmons and Embiid have stayed healthy in their first full seasons, looking like the second coming of Magic and Kareem.

When the 76ers visit the Cavs Thursday night, they’ve got a chance to cut Cleveland’s lead over them in the standings to just 2.5 games. The two teams are currently in line to meet in the first-round of the playoffs as the No.3 vs. No.6 matchup.

Forget about the school rumors that likely aren’t true and the three billboards that won’t factor into James’ decision. If James simply picks a destination based on which team gives him the best chance to win the most championships, Philadelphia might be the most logical choice.

Adding James to the current Philadelphia roster wouldn’t just make the 76ers the Eastern Conference favorites for the 2018-2019 season. The 76ers could run the East for years to come, even once James is no longer the greatest player on the planet.

Simmons, 21, is averaging 16-7-7 as the leading candidate to win the Rookie of the Year award. Embiid, 23, started in the All-Star Game and is averaging 23.9 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, in addition to being a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Don't forget that Philadelphia will likely own the Lakers’ 2018 first-round draft pick. What if Markelle Fultz remembers how to shoot a basketball?

Philadelphia is one of the few realistic destinations that could offer James a max contract without having to clear additional cap space. Houston, for instance, would likely have to find a taker for Ryan Anderson’s seemingly untradeable contract in order to sign both Chris Paul and James this summer.

The Lakers will have cap space to sign both James and another max salary free agent—presumably Paul George. George, however, has indicated that he wants to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and it’s hard to believe James will head to L.A. if the Lakers don’t have at least one other All-Star on the roster.

Basketball reasons, of course, won’t be the only factors that come into play when James makes his final decision.

The Cavs would allow James to stay in his hometown. James has made L.A. his second home and could help him further his interests outside of basketball. James could play with his friends in Houston and join the team that gives him the best shot to challenge the Warriors in the immediate future.

Philadelphia is a future championship contender if they can remain healthy. Embiid still has to prove that he can stay on the court for an entire season after missing all of 2014 and 2015.

“Embiid has a bright future,” James said in the preseason, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Just bringing him along slow after the injuries that he had. You don’t want to have any setbacks, and I don’t think right now he’s having any setbacks. I think they’ve done a great job with their medical team and coach (Brett) Brown of just bringing him slowly, and he’s gonna be really good. He’s already good, but he’s gonna be really, really good.”

Embiid somewhat jokingly attempted to recruit James on Twitter when the four-time MVP was a free agent in 2014. Philadelphia wasn’t a realistic option, and James left the Miami Heat for a second stint in Cleveland.

Four years later, the 76ers have to be considered a very real contender in the LeBron James Sweepstakes.