It’s that time of the year again where teams have the full liberty to put themselves on a pedestal and cudgel themselves into thinking that all of their plans this offseason would lead to them winning a title next year (just kidding).And is there a team more devout to that cause than the Philadelphia 76ers?
Well, apparently not. Thematic with their striking summer plans that largely revolve around chasing stars that could become available for taking, the 76ers remain hot and rabid customers on the rumor mill. However, this most recent one hints at an ambitious and reckless move that could ultimately make little to no sense for the franchise.
The 76ers are rumored to be eyeing Bronny James in the draft, hinting at LeBron pursuit
According to an admittedly fickle source, the 76ers are gearing up as a potential suitor for Bronny James in the 2024 NBA Draft. Philadelphia owns picks 16 and 41, and it appears that they could try and use the latter to select the polarizing prospect, who is, of course, the eldest son of Lakers superstar LeBron James.
REPORT: The 76ers have emerged as a third possible suitor for Bronny James, per @BrettSiegelNBA. pic.twitter.com/FMIc4tSByD
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 31, 2024
It may not have come from the most reliable source, but there is some credence to this intel. The 76ers are apparently angling for a legitimate LeBron pursuit this summer, and enticing him to play in Philly through the possibility of playing with his son should be a terrific selling point.
That’s where the issue lies though. First off, Bronny isn’t even billed as a consensus second-round talent. Second, would adding LeBron truly reinvigorate the 76ers’ championship chances next season and for the foreseeable future in account of the drastic cost-cutting the front office will have to make to make way for the King?
We’ve already pointed out that the cons of adding James into the fold at this point in his career simply outweigh the pros of having him. The frenetic media circus that would follow him and his end-of-career histrionics could also be massive distractions that could only get even more radioactive in the temperamental climate of the Philadelphia sports scene.
Put simply, drafting Bronny would be a mistake. Pursuing LeBron under the veneers of drafting his son to validate an already firm wrong would also be a mistake. Ultimately, the 76ers shouldn’t bite more than they can chew, especially now that their jaws need to become more controlled than ever before.