The Philadelphia 76ers are being floated as a possible landing spot for LeBron James this summer, but that idea comes with a built-in problem: it could undercut Jaylen Brown before he ever gets on the floor in Philly.
James, now 41, has entered free agency and is expected to weigh a few different options. The Sixers are among the teams in the mix, and on paper it’s easy to see why they’d have interest in a player of his caliber. He’s no longer the same force he was when he was piling up four MVPs and four championships, but he’s still an All-Star at minimum.
That’s exactly why the fit deserves a hard look. Philadelphia already has plenty of players who want the ball in their hands, and Brown is one of the biggest reasons that matters.
He’s at his best when he’s initiating offense, creating for himself, and attacking as a scorer. He’s an elite scorer and a top-notch on-ball creator, and the Sixers would be asking him to do a lot less of that if James joined the group.
The issue isn’t just Brown, either. Tyrese Maxey and Embiid already need plenty of touches, and VJ Edgecombe is another name in the mix if you’re counting him. Bringing in James would add yet another high-usage player to the pile, which would force Brown into more off-ball work than the Sixers should want to test.
That’s the real concern here. Brown is a top 15 player in the NBA, coming off an All-NBA Second Team season and a sixth-place finish in MVP voting. He’s also not a great off-ball player, so if Philadelphia wants to get the most out of him next season, the plan should be simple: keep the ball in his hands.
James can still help a team. There’s no question about that. And if the Sixers are serious about chasing a title next year, it makes sense that they’d at least consider an All-Star who might be available on the cheap.
But just because it makes sense in a vacuum doesn’t mean it works on the court. In this case, too many mouths to feed is exactly the problem. The Sixers would be adding another creator to an already crowded offense, and that would complicate Brown’s role before he ever plays a game for them.
For Philadelphia, that’s reason enough to stay away.
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