After adding LeBron James to their already stacked lineup, all eyes will be on the Philadelphia 76ers next season as they enter the upcoming campaign as one of the biggest favorites to win the title. That being said, no configuration is ever perfect. And for this team, one major issue they will have to address quickly is three-point shooting –– something that the King himself struggled with last season.
The 76ers were in the bottom third of the league last season in all three-point shooting metrics in attempts, actual conversions, and shooting percentage. James is not a shabby marksman himself, but he was definitely inconsistent from three-point range in the previous campaign, as he drained just 31.7 percent of his tries from rainbow country. That is noteworthy enough of a concern to worry about.
LeBron's erratic three-point shooting could be a problem for the 76ers
James will effectively replace both Paul George and Kelly Oubre, who shot 39.2 percent and 36 percent, respectively, from beyond the arc last season. Now, LeBron is not far removed from his most accurate three-point shooting campaign in 2023-24, but there are factors that will make it more difficult for him to get back to that degree of accuracy.
First off, while he is tabbed to be the team's nominal point guard in the upcoming season, the sheer volume of talent on the starting unit alone will still make it so that James will find himself without the ball in his hands more than ever before. His off-ball role will be forcibly enlarged, and as someone who has always shot the ball better off the dribble instead of on the catch, LeBron will have to make major adjustments to his shooting rhythm.
The volume of three-point shots he will be taking will likewise shoot up. With Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, and VJ Edgecombe all in need of more room to operate, James cannot refuse to take open shots. Heck, he is arguably the worst three-point shooter in that group, so defenses will be more amenable to leaving him open compared to the others.
If the superstar can at least get back to shooting threes at a league-average clip on good volume, then that will be a huge win for the 76ers. However, that is much, much easier said than done, as accomplishing that presupposes both team and individual adjustments that will take time. For the time being, the offense can look rough at times, although that will be a part of the process.
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