Everything connects, except the basketball? The question marks surrounding LeBron and Philadelphia
The Sixers built a flashy starting five, but LeBron will require Maxey, Brown, Edgecombe, and Embiid to change roles, while the bench and defense raise doubts. Personal and business ties explain the connection, but on the court, it still looks problematic.
Surprisingly enough, LeBron James signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. He hopes to lead the team to its first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years, alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and the team's new star, acquired in a trade from the Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown, who reportedly made the Sixers the leading candidate to land LeBron.
The starting lineup looks like the highest-quality lineup in the league, and betting agencies have made the Sixers the favorite to win the East, mainly because they expect high betting volume. But the bench, at the moment, does not look particularly deep. Aside from Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade, it is not certain that coach Nick Nurse can rely 100% on Caleb Love, Adama Bal, LeBron Philon, or Jabari Walker.
It must also be admitted that with LeBron in the lineup, the entire other quartet will have to re-adapt to new roles in the offense. Jaylen Brown will have to function much more off the ball and be more of a catch-and-shoot player than he was in his final years in Boston.
Maxey will still run the game, but will touch the ball less. Edgecombe will certainly not get the many opportunities he had last season, when he barely played with Joel Embiid and Paul George. And it is likely that Embiid will have to work differently in the offense.
On defense, the only player on the roster who was defined by the league's analytics last season as an "elite defensive player" is Paul George, who left and was replaced by Jaylen Brown, who, according to analytics, was a good defender in Boston, but not at the highest level.
Furthermore, Joel Embiid's defensive output decreases every year, Maxey was never a great defensive player, and Edgecombe, who is in his second year in the league, has potential, but you don't go to the playoffs with potential alone. On the face of it, the bench doesn't exactly feature defensive stalwarts.
LeBron is one of the smartest players in history, so it is hard to doubt his professional decision-making. But it is interesting why he chose to join a team that needs to make so many re-adjustments to succeed on the court this season.
In an era where a team's depth, energy, and health determine championships, it is hard to see how a team with a 41-year-old star, a center with spongy knees, and a limited bench overcomes the tough competition in the East.
It is likely that LeBron decided to join Philly also thanks to his personal ties with the Sixers' management.
The key senior official in the Philadelphia 76ers' management who holds the strongest personal connection with LeBron James is Mike Gansey, the President of Basketball Operations. The connection between them spans decades. The two grew up and played high school basketball in Ohio. Gansey finished as LeBron's runner-up in the race for the 2001 "Ohio Mr. Basketball" award.
More significantly, Gansey worked in the Cleveland Cavaliers' management during LeBron's second stint with the club, where he established a strong professional and personal bond with him. Gansey knows what it takes to please LeBron and build a winning team around him.
2001 Ohio Mr. Basketball voting:
- LeBron James (Signed with the Sixers)
In addition, Bob Myers, the most senior advisor to the Sixers' management, and Jamahl Mosley, Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations, hold strong professional ties with LeBron and his agent, Rich Paul, through the Klutch Sports agency.
There is something else that likely had a major influence on LeBron James and the connection to the Sixers.
The Sixers are owned by Josh Harris, who earned a great deal of money through the investment firm Apollo Global. LeBron's friend and business partner, Maverick Carter, recruited the CEO of Apollo Global, Marc Rowan, to be an investor and board member at SpringHill, the production company of Carter and LeBron.
Rowan has often expressed great enthusiasm for Maverick's management style, who himself explained in the past that he is "learning business and finance" from Rowan. Maverick added that he himself "has been investing in Apollo for a very long time, and Marc has become a personal friend."
So the personal and financial connection is likely very significant in LeBron's decision. It is interesting if he received or will receive a percentage of the team down the road. However, in terms of the basketball connection on the court, it is going to be challenging to connect all the pieces of Philadelphia's roster.
Nick Nurse is a creative coach who will certainly try to slot LeBron into all sorts of positions, from 1 to 5, and can make many things work. But it's a bit like putting a lot of vegetables in a Philly cheesesteak sandwich. It might fit, but it would be really weird.
