The Philadelphia 76ers have built a roster so stacked that LeBron James could end up as the fifth scoring option.
That sounds backward on first pass, especially with a player of James’ stature in the mix. But with two Finals MVPs now on the roster in LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, plus two other All-NBA players in their primes and VJ Edgecombe, the picture starts to make sense. In that setup, the most sensible version of the 76ers might be one where James spends more time running the offense than hunting shots.
James averaged 20.9 points this past season, matching the lowest scoring mark of his career since his rookie year more than two decades ago. That number could dip again with Philadelphia, and in this case that would not necessarily be a problem. The 76ers need him to set the table as much as they need him to score.
That leaves Edgecombe in an interesting spot. Philadelphia has every reason to keep supporting his growth as a two-way scorer, and there’s a real argument that he can help the team more by being aggressive in Year 2 rather than fading into a pure support role.
James has nothing left to prove as a scorer. He is already the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, and with the 76ers’ talent pileup, the cleanest way to maximize the roster may be to lean on him as a playmaker instead.
So while the popular idea is that Edgecombe could be the best fifth option in the league, the bigger twist is that James might actually hold that title himself. If that’s how it plays out, he would still be the most decorated player on the roster - just one whose value comes from making everybody else better.
In Other News...
Nick Nurse May Have A 76ers Lineup Problem He Wont Enjoy
The 76ers entered the season with a starting group that already looked hard to crack, and the offseason addition of Dean Wade only made the late-game picture more complicated. Wades value is obvious on the defensive end, where he fits the kind of closing lineup a coach can trust when possessions tighten and every switch matters.
Nick Nurse now has a decision he probably would rather avoid: which starter gets nudged aside if Wade is on the floor at the end of games. Every one of Philadelphias current starters brings real defensive value and meaningful two-way impact, so the choice is less about weakness than about balance, roles and which combination gives the Sixers the cleanest answer when the game is on the line. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Seem To Have Learned From Last Seasons Veteran Mistake
Mike Gansey has spent the offseason reshaping the 76ers into a roster that looks a lot different from the short-handed, injury-riddled group that limped through last season. The front office has added seasoned talent and star power, with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown among the names now attached to a team that also still has an open roster spot, giving Philadelphia a little more flexibility than it had a year ago.
That flexibility matters because the Sixers seem intent on avoiding a repeat of last seasons mistake, when Kyle Lowrys arrival brought more locker-room value than on-court impact. This time around, the roster construction has leaned toward veterans who can actually help in meaningful minutes while still bringing leadership, a sign the team is better positioned to react if the season brings the kind of midstream changes contenders often need. [Read more 🡒]
76ers LeBron Enters New Chapter With Controversial Off-Court Move
LeBron James has signaled the start of a new chapter by informing the Lakers he will not return for a 24th NBA season with the team, with his next stop expected to come elsewhere. For a league that has spent all summer watching his future through every possible lens, the move only adds another layer to an already familiar storyline: James remains one of the sports most influential figures, and every decision he makes still ripples far beyond his own roster.
The off-court side of it has drawn almost as much attention. James also announced a partnership with Polymarket, a sports betting-related company, a choice that landed in the middle of the NBAs ongoing unease about how closely players should align with gambling businesses. NBA insider Brett Siegel was among those to criticize the partnership, and it is the latest example of how James can still turn a routine business decision into a debate with real league-wide implications. [Read more 🡒]