The 76ers landed the summer’s biggest prize, but the path to that outcome had a twist: Boston quietly made a run at LeBron James, too.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Celtics were among the surprise teams that checked in on James before he made his choice. That alone makes the story stand out.
Boston had spent years as one of James’ chief Eastern Conference enemies when he was in Cleveland and Miami, so their interest in him this offseason was an unexpected turn. It never got far enough to matter, though, and Boston was not mentioned as a finalist in the bidding war.
That matters because the 76ers’ offseason already changed the balance of power in a major way. Boston traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George and picks, a move that qualifies as one of the biggest roster shakeups the Celtics have made in the last decade. They also brought in Mitchell Robinson, giving them a starting-caliber big man for next season.
Even with those changes, Boston still has enough to stay in the conversation. Jayson Tatum is healthier, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard remain in place, and Joe Mazzulla gives them a coaching edge over plenty of teams. But the 76ers now look more loaded than their biggest rival, and that gap is part of what makes the LeBron chase so interesting in hindsight.
The rivalry between the two teams has already been sharpened. Philly erased Boston after trailing 3-1 in the playoffs, and the Brown trade only added more fuel. If the Celtics had become a more serious obstacle in the LeBron sweepstakes, the fallout would have been even bigger.
Instead, James chose the 76ers as his next and final stop, after sacrificing a lot to make that decision. Philadelphia enters next season as one of the favorites to win the title, with a high floor to match. Boston, meanwhile, is harder to pin down because its lineup is technically weaker and the Eastern Conference looks more crowded heading into the new season.
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Sixers Cannot Afford To Repeat This Familiar Frontcourt Mistake
The Sixers frontcourt remains a spot worth watching as the offseason moves into the early regular season, especially with the team keeping an eye on the big man market. Depending on how their current rotation develops, Philadelphia could still explore a trade or a buyout addition, and that kind of flexibility matters for a team trying to avoid another round of patchwork answers inside.
One name that could surface is Taj Gibson, whose non-guaranteed deal with the Memphis Grizzlies makes him a possible waiver candidate if Memphis chooses to move on. Even so, the Sixers may pass on that avenue, and recent buyout chatter around Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is another reminder that the front office is weighing these opportunities carefully rather than reacting to every available name. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Cannot Afford Another Aging Wing Mistake Here
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The concern is less about reputation than recent form, and Connaughtons decline has made him a shaky bet for a team trying to avoid another aging-wing misfire. The 76ers have enough incentive to stay patient and keep that final spot flexible, especially if the alternative is adding a player whose best years are behind him and whose role would be hard to justify on a roster already searching for cleaner answers on the perimeter. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Suddenly Have A Bigger Dominick Barlow Question Than Expected
Dominick Barlows promotion to a two-year standard contract gave the Sixers another useful piece to evaluate, but it also raised the kind of roster question that tends to linger well into the fall. After starting 59 of 71 games last season on a two-way deal, Barlow arrives with real experience, a clearer role on paper and the kind of versatility Philadelphia has valued as it keeps trying to deepen the group around its core.
Barlow said he was excited about the chance to play alongside LeBron James, while also spending the offseason working on his shooting and physicality and staying open to handling multiple positions. He also had praise for new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey and the roster moves aimed at building a championship team, which only adds to the sense that the next step here is less about whether Barlow belongs and more about where exactly he fits. [Read more 🡒]