To LeBron, or not to LeBron, that is Philadelphia 76ers FA question?
By Bret Stuter
Line forms here
Competitors want to win. Before the 2017-2018 season, that is one attribute the Philadelphia 76ers could not offer free agents. The 76ers lost games, in droves. To compensate, the team had to dangle above market compensation to attract players to sign with the team. Ah, but things do change, don’t they?
The team is a 50 game winner with two games to play. In fact, this is the 3-seed in the NBA Eastern Conference, and a top-five NBA team, plus they have six picks in the upcoming 2018 NBA Draft. Even the most obtuse and vitriol-filled troll sees that the Sixers are at the cusp of a dazzling NBA future.
Players know NBA
And so, NBA players are certainly aware of the fact too. Those NBA players see the success of Ersan Ilyasova, Marco Belinelli, J.J. Redick, Amir Johnson, and even Jerryd Bayless. Bound for the NBA playoffs, and with the potential to advance deep in post season. No matter how the individual players contributed, each took a distinct career risk to sign with the upstart and unproven Philadelphia 76ers. This team had the right facility, coaching staff, and vision. But the performance on the basketball court was still theory.
Some players never know post season in their careers. Even more never know the feeling of advancing in the NBA playoffs. So an opportunity to join this Philadelphia 76ers teams is “the ticket” for many hopeful, and very talented, players.