NBA insider explores possible sleeper team for LeBron James

Every sign points to LeBron James re-signing with the Los Angeles Lakers and finishing his career in the City of Angels. And yet, with Bronny James set to enter the 2024 NBA Draft, there is still plenty of buzz about teams looking to draft James' son in order to attract the legendary point forward.

James has mentioned his desire to play with his son on multiple occasions. The Klutch apparatus has since pivoted, with Bronny saying time and time again that he doesn't really care about playing with his dad. And yet... the buzz persists, unceasing, as teams ponder the merit of targeting LeBron's kid in a weak draft.

LeBron Sr. is a free agent after all, and the Lakers have repeatedly failed him in the aftermath of their 2020 championship run. With a new head coach on the horizon, James is not consulting with the front office. He's letting L.A. make its own bed, for better or worse. That seems uncharacteristic for James. He also attended a Cavs postseason game, which same conspiracy nuts read as a veiled threat aimed at the Lakers.

If James does decide to leave — and that is a huge, exceedingly unlikely if — few teams are better positioned to target the GOAT than the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, James is going to end up where he wants to end up. If he picks the New York Knicks, for example, New York can work out a sign-and-trade. The same can be said for the Miami Heat. James controls his own destiny.

That said, the Sixers are equipped with roughly $60 million in cap space, which is enough to sign James outright. This postseason was a clear warning to teams embracing the 'superteam' concept with three expensive megastars. Tyrese Maxey is due for his own rookie-scale max extension, so the Sixers would get very expensive, very quickly between Embiid, James, and Maxey. The new collective bargaining agreement restricts what teams can spend or trade after a certain tax threshold.

One could argue that Philadelphia is better off surrounding Embiid and Maxey with a bunch of high-level role players, but at the end of the day, this is LeBron James we're talking about. If Daryl Morey can put LeBron next to the MVP and the league's brightest under-25 guard, well, he will.

As Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer laid out, however, there is reason for skepticism. A lot of it.

76ers, LeBron James pairing probably won't happen

The genesis of Pompey's report is simple. He's asking the question circling the brain of every Sixers fan ahead of the 2024 draft: will Morey draft Bronny to worm his way into the LeBron sweepstakes?

"The Sixers could elect to select [Bronny James] higher than expected with the hope of getting his father. On the surface, it’s easy to say do it with quickness. That’s because this is viewed as one of the weakest drafts in decades. The Sixers might as well use the pick to help secure one of the most recognizable players in any sport."

It's one thing for the Utah Jazz to select Bronny at No. 32, because LeBron ain't going to Salt Lake City. The Sixers adding Bronny would have to appeal to James Sr. on some level, however, as Philadelphia is very much a LeBron-sized piece away from emerging as favorites in the Eastern Conference.

James would still occupy a top-five market with two bona fide co-stars and a chance to win in the far less competitive East. Factor his son into the equation, and yeah, the Sixers are a tantalizing option. That is assuming, very boldly, that James will even consider leaving for a superior team. James has deep business roots in LA. As Pompey points out, the Klutch Pro Day — where Bronny will showcase his talents in a workout setting — is being held at the Lakers' training facility.

This whole saga eerily echoes the 2018 free agency period, when James essentially used the Sixers' interest as leverage to obtain his desired contract from the Lakers. LeBron was reportedly prepared to meet with Philadelphia, only to spurn the Sixers and send Rich Paul in his place. If the Sixers get involved in any serious way, heartbreak feels like the only logical outcome.

That won't prevent Philadelphia from getting involved if there is even the slightest glimmer of hope, though. Morey loves to hunt big game in the offseason and LeBron is a singular basketball force, not to mention a serious financial boon to whichever franchise he plays for. Pompey has no doubt that the Sixers would "love" to put James next to Embiid and Maxey.

"They would love to add LeBron James to their All-Star tandem of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers believe Embiid and Maxey will have them well-positioned to be next season’s second-best team in the Eastern Conference behind the Boston Celtics."

The Sixers are well-positioned to take a step forward in the East if all goes to plan, but the uncertainty of this offseason is palpable. Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Ricky Council IV are the only Sixers with a semi-guaranteed spot on next season's roster. There is plenty of room for this offseason to go south if Philadelphia can't land its desired targets.

James is probably a pipe dream, but hey, crazier things have happened. If the Sixers do draft Bronny, we won't need to pretend like it's out of genuine interest in the USC freshman. It would serve as a blatant ploy to attract Sr. to the northeast coast.