The Sixers landed the biggest name on the board, but the whole thing still comes back to the same question: can Joel Embiid stay on the floor long enough to make it matter?
That’s the thread running through the latest reporting on Philadelphia’s new star-studded setup. Sources close to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN say LeBron James has long respected Embiid’s talent and basketball IQ, while also keeping a close eye on the center’s health history. Embiid, for his part, was heavily involved in recruiting James to Philadelphia and has been publicly pushing for him to come since 2014, so he finally got to make the pitch that landed.
According to Shelburne, James’ decision last Friday wasn’t driven by one factor alone. His relationship with Embiid mattered, but so did his “comfort level” with executive Bob Myers and new general manager Mike Gansey. She also points to the trust Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul has built with owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer over the years.
Even with all that star power, the Sixers know the real hinge point is Embiid’s availability. He’s played just 57 combined regular-season games over the past two seasons and missed part of both playoff series this year, though Shelburne notes that was tied to the effects of emergency appendicitis surgery rather than the knee issues that have followed him.
Philadelphia’s depth chart only makes that more important. Andre Drummond is gone to New York in free agency, leaving the Sixers without an experienced backup center. That puts even more pressure on Embiid to shoulder at least a moderate workload.
One league source put it bluntly to Shelburne: “It all comes down to Joel,” one league source told Shelburne. “If it’s Tyrese (Maxey), VJ (Edgecombe), Jaylen Brown, LeBron and Adem Bona, that’s not a championship team.
But if it’s those four guys and Joel, that’s a championship team. That’s not to say it’s Joel’s fault if it doesn’t go well.
He might get blamed anyway. But more that he can be the reason they win - and LeBron can really help him.”
James may be the headliner, but Shelburne says he could end up in more of a supporting role, much like he did with the Lakers last season. One Eastern Conference executive noted that none of the other projected starters has a track record of setting screens and doing the “dirty work” needed to win at the highest level.
There’s also some concern inside the organization about what all this means for VJ Edgecombe. Two Sixers sources told Shelburne they worry the arrival of so much star talent could cut into the second-year guard’s development by taking the ball out of his hands. A rival coach sees it differently, saying playing alongside James and Brown will be a valuable education for Edgecombe and that he’ll still get chances because “it’s not like this team is going to stay healthy all year.”
James’ choice also had a lifestyle angle. Marc Stein of The Stein Line reports that the chance to live in New York City and commute to Philadelphia factored into his decision. Paul had already said early in free agency that the Knicks were never really in the mix after their title run, but this arrangement gives James the option of keeping homes in both cities if he wants.
And beyond the on-court fit, there’s the ripple effect. Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice looked at five ways James could impact the organization, including how much he can help draw other players to Philadelphia.
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The catch is that Thompson is still tied to Dallas on a deal that runs into next season, which makes any path out of the Mavericks complicated. Miamis interest is real enough to keep the conversation alive, but the Heat are waiting on a chain of events that has not broken their way yet, and until it does, the front office is left circling one target while other options sit just out of reach. [Read more 🡒]