A former LeBron James teammate thinks the Philadelphia 76ers belong near the top of the superstar’s free-agency picture.
Mario Chalmers, who played with James on the Miami Heat, said he expects LeBron to head back to the Eastern Conference. That alone gives Philadelphia a boost, especially with the Golden State Warriors also in the mix as one of the Sixers’ biggest rivals for him.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been treated as the favorites lately, but Chalmers said he’s leaning more toward Miami and Philadelphia for different reasons. In his view, the Sixers check a lot of boxes for a player who could still reshape a roster.
“With Philly, I see him fitting perfectly with Jaylen Brown, [Tyrese] Maxey, and [Joel] Embiid,” Chalmers told Medina, via Fadeawayworld.
“You have a 'Big 4' there. 'Bron can play in that 3 or 4 position and also take Maxey off the ball. That will help him grow and become a better scorer, better player, and better playmaker."
That’s the heart of the argument for Philadelphia: the fit. The Sixers already have a starting group loaded with talent, and Chalmers sees James as the missing forward who would make the whole thing feel complete.
Maxey has handled point guard duties and continues to improve as a ballhandler, but he entered the league as more of a shooting guard. He was at his best next to a veteran floor general when James Harden ran the offense. James, meanwhile, remains one of the league’s most adaptable stars and could give Philadelphia a different look by spending time at the 3 or 4 and easing some of the creation burden.
Even last season, when James played small forward for the Lakers, he still averaged 7.2 assists per game. Chalmers’ point is that Philadelphia would not need him to do everything. He could simply make the pieces around him work better.
The Heat, Chalmers said, could also make sense if James wanted a larger role and was willing to run point. But he added that Miami would need “a couple more pieces” before it felt like the same kind of clean fit.
“I feel like Philly is a win-win right now,” Chalmers said.
At age 41, James could be chasing a bigger role or a more balanced one. Chalmers’ read is that if he wants the latter, Philadelphia already has enough in place to make the conversation easy.
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