NBA Rumors: LeBron to surprise team, Knicks out on Embiid, Harden to China?

NBA Rumors: 76ers could steal LeBron James in free agency

LeBron James loudly pondered retirement over the summer before committing to his 21st NBA season. James will make $47.6 million in the 2023-24 season and he has a $51.4 player option for the 2024-25 season. Naturally, there has been speculation about this being James’ final season with the Lakers. He could retire or, as Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer posits, he could leave for another team.

“If its the big fish I think [Daryl] Morey’s target next summer will be LeBron James,” he told Chris Vernon on ‘The Mismatch’ podcast. “It just makes sense logically, right? Who else would it be?”

The Sixers can clear upwards of $60 million in cap space next summer once the contracts for James Harden and Tobias Harris come off the books. Morey is a notorious star-hunter who has every intention of maximizing Embiid’s title window, so long as the MVP center remains committed to Philadelphia. How he goes about it may draw the ire of Philly’s fanbase, but LeBron James would certainly be a nice consolation prize after the James Harden ordeal plays out.

How can the Sixers convince James to leave Los Angeles? Well, it probably starts with Bronny James. The USC guard is a projected first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. A recent cardiac arrest has led to questions about Bronny’s basketball future and there are clearly much bigger concerns than basketball in the James family at the moment, but if he’s cleared to play, NBA teams will still take interest in LeBron’s oldest son. Meanwhile, James has long expressed a desire to play with his son in the NBA.

If the Sixers were to select Bronny and offer James a full max contract, it could be hard for the future Hall of Famer to pass up. The Sixers were notably James’ No. 2 choice during his last free agent period before he joined the Lakers. He was never going anywhere other than LA, of course, but James at least took a meeting with Philly in a show of good faith. There has been some level of interest in the past.

Even if the Sixers don’t land Bronny, there’s a nonzero chance the Lakers’ season goes so far south that James considers a retirement tour with a different franchise. It would certainly boost his legacy to bring a ring to Philadelphia, even if he’s more of a sidekick to Joel Embiid than a primary star.

James will be approaching his 40th birthday by the time Philadelphia has the opportunity to sign him, but if any player is worth it at that age, it’s him.