Trading James Harden left the Philadelphia 76ers in search of another All-Star to pair with Joel Embiid. Little did they know, Tyrese Maxey was already a star in the making.
But the Harden trade also provided the Sixers with a lot more cap space to spend this offseason in free agency thanks to the expiring contracts of everyone except Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul Reed, and Ricky Council IV.
Now 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is in a position to overhaul the roster around Embiid and Maxey, which is expected to start with finding a third star.
Could the Philadelphia 76ers sign LeBron James?
While Paul George is a name that’s come up frequently for the Philadelphia 76ers, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the search for a third star could even lead to LeBron James.
“The Sixers do have their eyes on other lucrative-salary impact players just in case they don’t get (Paul) George. That’s why they also are looking at potential free agents like the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James.”
Keith Pompey on Philadelphia 76ers’ interest in LeBron James
James’ agent, Rich Paul, recently stated that his client is a free agent, so it’s possible we’ll see a bidding war emerge for the future Hall of Famer this summer. Technically, James has a $51.4 million player option that he needs to decide on by June 29th, but as his agent indicated, the decision to become a free agent may have already been made.
According to Pompey, other possibilities for the 76ers include OG Anunoby, turning to the trade market to reunite with Jimmy Butler, or pivoting to someone like Zach LaVine or Brandon Ingram.
With so many options available, expect to see a much different 76ers roster when the 2024-25 season tips off, maybe we’ll even see LeBron as a 76er.
Related: Los Angeles Clippers may let market determine Paul George’s contract extension