The Philadelphia 76ers want LeBron James, but does he actually want them back? The answer to that question is still unclear, as the 41-year-old hasn't made the announcement everyone in the NBA world is waiting for. At least, Philly knows it's still in the race, as ESPN's Shams Charania said on Monday that, based on his understanding, the focus is on the Sixers, Heat, and Cavaliers.
As much speculation as there has been about where James will end up, there hasn't been much of anything leaked from his camp indicating which team he will sign with. The Sixers have known they were under consideration, but besides that, it's been relatively quiet.
It has to be reassuring for Philadelphia to know that it's made it this far, though that won't be much of a consolation if LeBron goes to Cleveland or Miami. Still, at this point, that's all the Sixers can ask for, knowing their hope is still alive.
“There is no decision, no choice yet, no timetable on a choice as of yet,” - @ShamsCharania with the latest on LeBron James.
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 20, 2026
Shams says he talked to Rich Paul this morning. pic.twitter.com/iXuPl4rkhq
Sixers are still reportedly in play for LeBron James
Rich Paul, James' agent, said there isn't a timetable as to when his client will make his decision, but now that the World Cup is over, the stage belongs to LeBron. He can command the attention he wants by announcing his next team, which the NBA would like to see happen sooner rather than later, considering the schedule release is on hold until the superstar makes his choice.
A choice that, the Sixers hope, will result in him calling Philadelphia home for the first time. The odds of that happening didn't seem likely when the season ended, but the Jaylen Brown trade did more than help the team get rid of Paul George's contract. That seems to have truly put them on LeBron's radar.
Last week, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey had all communicated with James, with the latter serving as the lead recruiter. They're both represented by Klutch Sports and have worked out together in previous offseasons. Soon enough, they could share the same court again, but on the same team.
It might still seem hard to believe that James would choose Philadelphia over Cleveland or Miami, teams he shares history with (specifically the Cavaliers), but the Sixers wouldn't have made it this far if they didn't have a real shot.
The dream is still within reach, at least for the time being, and that counts for more than something.
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