All the stars and executives of the Philadelphia 76ers are getting a hand in recruiting LeBron James.
Based on reporting from ESPN's Dave McMenamin, it's been an all-out blitz from the Sixers, as they hope to land one of free agency's top players on a minimum deal.
The Sixers are known to have intrigued LeBron. After James told the Los Angeles Lakers that he was going to hit the open market, the 76ers kept their interest under wraps until they struck their blockbuster deal for the Boston Celtics forward, Jaylen Brown.
Shortly after, it was first reported that the Sixers inquired about LeBron. Since then, they've been one of the three most-discussed teams in the LeBron market, alongside the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat.
The task of finishing the recruitment with LeBron playing out the 2026-2027 NBA season with the Sixers has become a major responsibility for Tyrese Maxey.
Joel Embiid delivered the last star
The last time the Sixers went star hunting in free agency, it was for Paul George. At the time, George was clearly wrapping up his run with the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Sixers had their eyes on him.
Beyond Joel Embiid's not-so-subtle looks during a TV segment, where the star center made it clear that he wanted PG in Philly, his behind-the-scenes friendship with George helped the veteran forward embrace the idea of going to the Sixers. George admitted that much during his introductory press conference in 2024.
"Joel has secretly been one of my closest All-Star Game friends," George told reporters in July 2024. "It kind of felt inevitable that at some point we would link up and be teammates."
It's Tyrese Maxey's turn
This quote from McMenamin on 97.5 The Fanatic stands out:
"I want to say the people that I've spoken to told me about [Joel] Embiid's interaction; it's been mostly through text messaging, which is an obvious way to communicate in 2026," McMenamin said.
"As far as my understanding, it's really been [Tyrese] Maxey as the primary spearhead in terms of keeping that communication and dialogue going. Maxey knows LeBron the best out of those three players."
Rich Paul, LeBron James' agent, already made it clear that LeBron is a big fan of Maxey. The two NBA stars have been in contact.
Beyond being an All-Star-caliber player on the floor, Maxey has worked his way into becoming the team's veteran leader. Over the past couple of seasons, he has embraced the role of being the motivating mentor for the younger players on the roster. Adding the influential badge to his name could be done if the Sixers land their big fish in the open market.
Joel Embiid did what he could a few offseasons ago. Now, it's time for Maxey to deliver the 76ers their next star in free agency.
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