There were a couple of other blockbuster moves that transpired this offseason, but this summer will be most defined by the vaunted LeBron James sweepstakes, which the 76ers eventually won. The process was far from a smooth one, though, and as it turns out, Philly could have been looking at a much different scenario had their main rival succeeded in landing the superstar. Well, a new report surfaced about the Boston Celtics inquiring about the King before he made his decision.
As reported by ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Boston was one of the surprise suitors for LeBron. Back when James was still in Cleveland and Miami, the Celtics were one of his main rivals in the East, which made their apparent pursuit an unexpected one. Anyhow, they obviously failed in that chase not long after, as they were not even rumored to be a finalist in the bidding war.
The Celtics tried to foil the 76ers' biggest move of the offseason
Boston made some drastic changes to their roster this summer. Obviously, they traded Jaylen Brown to the 76ers, for Paul George and picks. That is perhaps the biggest change they have gone through in the last decade. They also added Mitchell Robinson into the fold, giving them a starting-caliber big man for next season.
The 76ers now boast a much more loaded lineup than their biggest rival, but the Celtics remain a force to be reckoned with. Jayson Tatum is healthier, and holdovers like Derrick White and Payton Pritchard should be more than enough to keep them in the loop for Eastern Conference supremacy. Joe Mazzulla is also one of the league's best coaches, so that is one edge they have over most teams.
One can only imagine the aftershock had the Celtics been a more cumbersome foe for the 76ers in the LeBron sweepstakes. The rivalry between both teams flared up even more during the playoffs when Philly overcame a 3-1 deficit and jettisoned Boston out of the postseason, while the Brown trade only intensified things between the franchises.
In the end, James sacrificed a lot to handpick the 76ers as his next and final landing spot. Philly will be one of the favorites to win the chip next season, and their floor is also pretty lofty in and of itself. On the flip side, no one really knows how to prognosticate the Celtics due to their technically weaker lineup and a more competitive Eastern Conference in the upcoming campaign.
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