LeBron James is in his 15th NBA season and he’s still being recruited like he’s in his mid-20’s. The Philadelphia 76ers are expected to be one of the main suitors for his services with free agency rolls around this summer. LeBron not only acknowledged the billboards, he went out of his way to say that it ‘flattered’ him.
Check out what LeBron had to say about the 76ers sales pitch:
“It’s dope”
LeBron said he’s flattered by Philadelphia billboards urging him to sign with #Sixers.
“It’s dope.”— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) February 27, 2018
LeBron responds to the #Sixers’ billboards in Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/1obnAk0NKV
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) February 27, 2018
Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid represent the young core that could entice him to join the 76ers. Simmons is also represented by the Klutch agency that is heavily affiliated with LeBron, of course. That may not be enough alone to land James but it obviously helps. At the end of the day, it may come down to whether Markelle Fultz will pan out. Maybe the 76ers could also trade him with a Dario Saric or the Lakers first-round pick to add more talent.
I also talked about this on my latest podcast with esteemed colleague Jacob McCormick. How many friends do you have? How many do you trust? LeBron would be foolish to trust the process but returning to Cleveland doesn’t sound any better. The Lakers may be his best option but dealing Lonzo Ball would probably also have to happen to land LeBron. The Rockets and Spurs are probably the only other teams in the running as of today.
James, 33, probably doesn’t want to leave Cleveland but likely will have to if he wants to win another championship. James has averaged 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. The Akron born James will try to reach his what seems like 800th straight NBA Finals but that’s probably the ceiling for this rapidly aging Cavs team.
