The Philadelphia 76ers are still waiting on LeBron James, and the latest twist in the race may have made their job a little easier.
Golden State had been trying to work a trade for Anthony Davis as part of its push to land James, but Washington’s stance has complicated that plan. The Wizards want to keep a competitive core together for next season, which makes Davis a tougher get for the Warriors than they’d like.
That matters because, according to Shams Charania on a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, Golden State is currently behind the 76ers, Cavaliers, and Heat in the LeBron chase. That lines up with earlier reporting that James’ camp would only seriously consider the Warriors if they acquired Davis, his former Lakers teammate.
For Philadelphia, that’s a useful break. The Warriors have the kind of connection to LeBron that always keeps them in the conversation, and Davis would have made them a much more dangerous landing spot. Instead, Washington’s approach has kept that path from getting any cleaner.
The Wizards’ summer has pointed toward winning now. They signed Trae Young to a lucrative extension, brought Khris Middleton back in free agency, and appear set on keeping Davis, at least for the moment. They also seem focused on building toward success around AJ Dybantsa, the first overall pick in this year’s draft.
With Golden State not getting the help it wanted, the 76ers can look at the current field and see a clearer path. Among the teams still said to be in the mix, Philadelphia can make the strongest championship case for next season. That’s the pitch, and now it’s just a matter of whether it’s enough to make James their next - and possibly final - NBA home.
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