Nick Nurse isn’t hiding what he sees when he looks at LeBron James in a 76ers uniform: a creator who can run the offense.
The Philadelphia coach recently spoke with NBC Sports Philadelphia about James’ fit, and he made it clear that the point guard conversation is very much on the table. Nurse described James as someone who can initiate, handle the ball and make things happen for both himself and everyone around him.
“I think he is an offense creator,” Nurse said when asked about the prospect of James playing the point guard position. “He is certainly a guy that will bring the ball up the floor and try to create for himself and for others.
He is really good for others. And i think that lends itself to that.”
That role would naturally change the look of Philadelphia’s offense. Tyrese Maxey has long been comfortable as both scorer and facilitator, but with James now in the mix, the ball would be spread around more. That could mean fewer possessions with Maxey, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid starting the action themselves, and more chances for them to work off the catch.
“I think Tyrese, I keep saying how great a shooter he is, so he better get ready to catch and shoot some of those deep threes that he takes,” Nurse added. “I think VJ helped Tyrese with a little bit of not having hte ball the whole game. Let's not forget how great Tyrese is with the ball, so I think again, just being able to be versatile, being able to put other guys in different places is always beneficial to you.”
James joined the 76ers on a two-year deal this summer with a player option for the 2027-28 season, a contract that could put him on track for 25 NBA seasons.
He’s still producing at a high level, too. At 41 years old and in his 23rd season, James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.2 steals for the Lakers, while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from three.
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For a team trying to reset itself around a star-studded starting lineup, Brown brings both production and baggage in the best possible way. He comes off a season in which he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, and now his move to Philadelphia gives the Sixers another marquee name as they chase a major turnaround next season. [Read more 🡒]