Philadelphia 76ers among top teams courting LeBron James, sources say
Sources told ESPN that Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown have each spoken with LeBron James as the 76ers remain a leading candidate in his free-agency decision.
Philadelphia continues to be a leading destination for LeBron James as his free-agency decision enters its second week, according to league sources. The 76ers say three of their players—Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown—have each been in contact with James about a possible move. Maxey, who shares representation with James through Klutch Sports and has trained with the veteran during the offseason, is described as the primary driver of the outreach. Embiid, the 2022-23 MVP, previously teamed with James to win a gold medal for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, while Brown, a former Celtics opponent of James, received an endorsement from the four-time champion earlier this year.
James praised the Philadelphia fan base after scoring 12 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter of a Lakers win in December, noting the city’s strong loyalty to its home teams. Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania that the Sixers remain one of the top three potential destinations for James, alongside the Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
Bob Myers, president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the Sixers’ ownership group, recently appeared on the "Game Over" podcast to argue that Philadelphia offers James his best chance to win a championship. "If it’s about winning, let’s talk about this team. Because you can win here in Philadelphia," Myers said.
Mike Gansey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, echoed that sentiment, saying the organization would love to add James and calling him "the best player of all time." James is scheduled to appear in New York later this week for public events, including the Fanatics Fest business and sports summit and a live taping of his podcast, before being honored at the Time 100 gala as the magazine’s Athlete of the Century.