Many thought the Philadelphia 76ers were LeBron James’ best option in free agency. That doesn’t mean L.A. was the wrong choice.
The Philadelphia 76ers‘ quiet start (and finish?) to free agency was disappointing for some. After a 52-win season that saw Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons emerge as franchise cornerstones, many expected a big-name free agent to come walking down Broad Street.
That never happened, though. Paul George seemed committed to OKC from the start and LeBron James — depending on which reports you believe — may or may not have considered the Sixers before joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
It was the LeBron decision that genuinely hurt some Sixers fans, for obvious reasons. Most teams don’t endure what the Sixers have in recent years and still have a shot at signing LeBron. Some of that is luck, and some of it can be directly attributed to the plans Sam Hinkie set forth years ago.
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But, regardless of how you view the process, the Sixers have an exciting young team in a die-hard sports town that is beginning to taste consistent success for the first time in years. People really wanted LeBron, and it made a ton of sense on paper, to boot.
Evidently, LeBron didn’t care about the on-paper fit in Philadelphia. He went to L.A. for reasons that extend well beyond the basketball court, which could be part of the reason some fans were so hurt by his decision.
His best chance to win titles was, arguably, in Philly and he still decided to join a Lakers team highlighted by a long lineage of superstars and a fanbase that tends to irritate those living outside southern California. The Lakers are also further behind in their rebuild than the Sixers.
I’m here to put a wet cloth over some of those flames. I think LeBron’s decision, basketball-centric or not, was absolutely fine. Would he have a clearer path to the NBA Finals in Philly? Yes. That doesn’t always equate to the right or wrong decision, though.
My rationale
This is a classic example of fans detaching the human element of sports from its biggest stars. LeBron is a player who many peg as the greatest of all-time, so him making a decision that isn’t solely based on RINGZZZZ is irritating to some of sports’ loudest commentators.
That is why perspective is important. James is 33 years old and entering his 16th NBA season. He also has a family, including a son that’s about to enter high school. That son happens to be an impressive basketball player who, like his father, has NBA aspirations.
Philadelphia is an awesome city with one of the best fanbases in the world, but there are obvious perks to living in L.A. — perks that Philly simply can’t match.
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James will be able to put his son in top-notch schools with top-notch basketball programs, all while allowing his family to live in Los Angeles full-time. That’s part of the reason he signed a four-year deal; he won’t be moving any time soon.
Calling it the beginning of his retirement is cliche and oversimplified, but it is a way for James to settle down in an area he’s comfortable living in. He can set up shop in L.A. and attempt to lure stars to Hollywood instead of treading water in Cleveland or moving to a new city entirely, like Philadelphia.
There are also countless business opportunities, both for James and his wife, that come with moving to L.A. James is a known entrepreneur who has always expressed interest in growing his brand off the court. Living in L.A. will help him accomplish that.
There are family reasons, along with extracurricular reasons, that make this move wholly understandable. LeBron is a human, and L.A. opens up opportunities for him and his loved ones that aren’t available anywhere else.
Also, the notion that James can’t win anything with the Lakers is overblown. The Warriors are an ominous threat, but L.A. will still be an above-average team that can contend for the Western Conference Finals.
LeBron alone is enough to win 50 games, while the Lakers were beginning to show significant improvement toward the end of last season.
James’ fit with Lonzo Ball is tantalizing, especially if the latter can become an average catch-and-shoot threat. Lonzo doesn’t need the ball to succeed. He’s an elite cutter who makes advanced reads and keeps the ball moving. He was playing out of character as a lead ball-handler based in the pick-and-roll last season.
With Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram along side him, the Lakers will play at a much faster pace than former LeBron teams. If you believe the likes of Rajon Rondo, they’ll get up and down the floor and look to beat teams with speed and multiple playmakers.
I’ll be frank — the Lakers haven’t done a great job of team-building since the LeBron signing was announced. Rondo is a fine player, but the fit is awkward. JaVale McGee isn’t very good, and Lance Stephenson might be even worse.
They will, however, be a fun group that will, as a product of their system and the presence of LeBron James, win games. The Lakers will also be a destination for free agents, both next summer and beyond. Even if they don’t win next season, James has time to make another run at the Finals.
Conclusion
The Sixers would have made a lot of sense for LeBron. Joining Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons would make them instant favorites in the East, at the very least getting him to his ninth-straight Finals.
But James’ decision to join L.A. wasn’t based on winning now. And it wasn’t entirely based on basketball. That’s fine. From a human perspective, fans should have no issue with the decision LeBron made. He didn’t choose Philly, but the logic behind a move to L.A. is sound.
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Trust the process, and go win the East without him.