LeBron James’ decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers had plenty of moving parts, but Rajon Rondo pointed to one name as the key separator: Tyrese Maxey.
On a recent episode of the Road Trippin' Show, Rondo laid out why he believed Philadelphia had the edge in the sweepstakes. In his view, Maxey’s ability to thrive without constantly controlling the ball gave the 76ers a clean advantage over the other teams chasing James.
Rondo compared Philly’s setup with the alternatives and wasn’t sold on the fit elsewhere. He said the Warriors were too old as currently constructed, while the Heat didn’t have enough floor spacing around James. He also wasn’t a fan of the idea of LeBron alongside Donovan Mitchell and James Harden with the Cavaliers.
Maxey, who led the 76ers in scoring this past season, brings a skill set that works especially well next to a star like James. Because he can score at all three levels and shoot in volume, he can be even more dangerous when he’s moving off the ball and finding open space rather than needing every possession to run through him.
That setup also changes Maxey’s role. With James expected to serve as the nominal point guard in the starting unit, Maxey should spend more time as a shooting guard than he has in previous seasons. Rondo believes that shift could lift Maxey’s efficiency next season, much like what happened with Kyrie Irving when LeBron joined him in Cleveland.
Philadelphia’s roster is packed with talent, and that means fit matters just as much as firepower. In Rondo’s eyes, James gives the 76ers exactly what they need: someone who can organize the pieces. Maxey, meanwhile, stands to be one of the biggest winners from the arrangement.
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