The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the teams that could end up landing LeBron James this summer. The 41-year-old superstar has entered free agency and will ultimately pick between a few teams. Philly is one of them. However, if James joined the 76ers, it would be a disaster for Jaylen Brown, completely shifting his role with the Sixers before he ever plays a game.
Brown is at his best with the ball in his hands. He’s an elite scorer and a top-notch on-ball creator. The Sixers already have three (four, if you count VJ Edgecombe) who should have the ball in their hands a lot: Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and Embiid. Adding James to the mix would give them another, thus forcing Brown to play off the ball a lot.
And if Philly is looking to maximize what Brown can do for them next season, that’s not something they want to experiment with a lot.
The 76ers should avoid signing LeBron James for Jaylen Brown's sake
James is still one of the best players in the league. He’s not the same guy he once was – the four-time MVP and four-time champion – but he’s still, at the very least, an All-Star.
If the Sixers are serious about competing for a title next year, which they clearly are, it makes sense that they would show interest in an All-Star who could be willing to sign for cheap.
But in reality, it doesn’t make much sense for the Sixers to target James in free agency this year. They already have too much on-ball talent. Adding more would just muck things up.
Brown is a top 15 player in the NBA. He’s an elite mid-range scorer and is coming off an All-NBA Second Team campaign, finishing sixth in MVP voting in the process.
However, he’s not a great off-ball player. If the Sixers want to maximize what he brings to the table, they need to put the ball in his hands as much as possible next year.
They’re already going to have to give the ball to Maxey and Embiid a lot. Signing James would only give Philly another mouth to feed. Another guy who needs the ball in his hands.
So, while in theory James makes sense, it wouldn’t be the best fit on the court. The Sixers would be affecting Brown’s ability to succeed before he ever even suits up for a game.
Philly should stay away from signing James in free agency this summer.
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