The Philadelphia Sixers didn't need to hear LeBron James talk on the latest episode of the "Mind the Game" podcast to know the Knicks are their biggest threat this season. But hearing from someone like him, who knows what it takes to win, showed why New York can go all the way again in 2027 and stand in Philly's way as it chases its dream of ending its own drought.
"I mean, listen, they're gonna be right back where it started. They don't have many guys that give me entitled, like, 'We won, so we expect to win.' They give me humble guys: 'Let's go back to work again.'"
Steve Nash and James mentioned the Knicks' decision to let Mitchell Robinson walk to the Celtics in free agency and how big that was. They also shouted out Andre Drummond and Bruce Brown (on an Exhibit 9 deal), two of New York's offseason additions. Both are tough players who match the team's hard-nosed, gritty mindset, unchanged even after winning a title.
LeBron didn't explicitly say the Knicks would be the most annoying thorn in the Sixers' side, but he didn't need to. He said they'd be right back where they were, citing the kind of players on their roster, and that was all he needed to say.
Knicks aren't going anywhere—at least not this season
Jalen Brunson didn't smile until New York won the championship. He didn't want to hold the Larry O'Brien trophy in NBA Finals promo. He stayed all business until the end, setting the tone for his teammates. After the Knicks get their rings and raise their banner over the Sixers on opening night, he'll probably try to erase the title from his mind and put it in the past so he can focus on the present.
His background, a second-round pick the Mavericks let walk to the Knicks, where he was vastly underrated, helped set him on the path he's taken in New York. The same goes for Karl-Anthony Towns, whom many thought wasn't capable of winning a championship. Josh Hart was on the move on back-to-back trade deadlines before he found his fit in NYC. And Mikal Bridges supposedly wasn't worth the first-round picks the front office gave up for him.
The Knicks let their work do the talking, from the top of the roster to the bottom (Landry Shamet), and rather than reveling in their success, they're pushing for more hardware.
Does that mean that the Sixers can't stand in their way? Absolutely not.
Sixers could also be the Knicks' biggest threat
Philadelphia had the league's most transformative offseason, trading Paul George for Brown and luring James to town on a two-year, $8 million deal. Those were the headliners, but other moves, like signing Dean Wade and drafting Labaron Philon Jr., were nice, too.
On paper, the Sixers have the NBA's most talented starting five. It's just a matter of whether they can stay healthy long enough to build chemistry. How much players are willing to sacrifice will also help Philadelphia put the pieces together.
Although the Knicks have had the Sixers' number in the playoffs the past few years, they should be worried about what's brewing in Philly, though they wouldn't admit it publicly.
If the Sixers can achieve the same buy-in as the Knicks, Philadelphia can dethrone New York as the top team in the East and, from there, make it past whichever squad comes out of the West.
The Sixers couldn't have landed a better player than LeBron to help them get there, not just because of his on-court contribution, but because, even though he's checked off just about every accomplishment you can think of, he still wants to compete for a fifth championship in Philly.
LeBron doesn't expect anything—he lets his work do the talking. And his results are pretty good.
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