The Philadelphia 76ers have signed LeBron James to a two-year, $8 million contract. In the process, they've become a championship contender with perhaps the most star-studded starting lineup in the NBA. For as exciting as that is, a question has inevitably beckoned: Are there enough touches to go around?
Though it's a fair concern, the big winner of James' arrival is point guard Tyrese Maxey—an All-NBA player who's about to become an MVP candidate.
Maxey was nothing short of electric during what arguably became an under-appreciated season. He averaged 28.3 points, 6.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 3.1 three-point field goals made per game on .462/.367/.892 shooting.
Maxey led the NBA in minutes per game and guided Philadelphia to 45 wins and a postseason appearance despite Joel Embiid missing 44 games and Paul George sitting for 45.
Maxey ultimately received All-NBA Third Team recognition for his gargantuan efforts. There was a clear case for it being an undersell of his success and importance to the 76ers, particularly when multiple top players missed the cut for All-NBA status due to their inability to meet the 65-game minimum.
With James arriving in Philadelphia, however, Maxey should have a chance to not only make the leap to a higher All-NBA team, but enter MVP conversations.
Tyrese Maxey can become an MVP candidate after LeBron signs
First and foremost, James' interest in signing with the 76ers was reportedly influenced rather significantly by Maxey. Maxey has referred to James as a "big brother," per the aforementioned report, and has spent several offseasons training with him.
With that chemistry established, James and Maxey should be at the forefront of making a star-studded lineup work due to their knowledge of how to play off of one another.
That's where context then comes into play. James is remarkably talented and a potential All-NBA candidate himself, but he'll also turn 42 in December and has missed at least 22 games in four of the past six seasons. In other words: Pacing James through a regular season should be a high priority.
Along those same lines, Embiid is a former MVP himself, but he's missed at least 44 games in each of the past three seasons. In other words: Maxey could realistically have to shoulder a similar burden as he did in 2025-26.
If that transpires, then Maxey being one year more experienced in such a role could be the impetus for a rise to MVP consideration. Even if it doesn't, however, James' arrival has taken pressure off of Maxey as a playmaker and should enable him to focus on his elite scoring arsenal. If he can strike an ideal balance with Jaylen Brown, then they could build each other up rather than break each other down as candidates.
If Maxey can maintain his tremendous two-way play, score with even greater volume, and lead Philadelphia to the top of the Eastern Conference, then MVP will be within reach.
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