Philadelphia 76ers: Is NBA Ready For An Embiid, Simmons, And LeBron James Pairing?

Fans of the Philadelphia 76ers have waited three years for a moment like this. The Sixers were just eliminated from the playoffs by the Boston Celtics in five games and yet, fans aren’t that heartbroken. While a loss hurts, this season was nothing more than a building block for the franchise. Think how far they have come. We’re talking a rookie point guard, a second-year centerpiece still finding his game, and a list of players most teams overlooked. But yet, there are players throughout the NBA who have taken notice of what could happen in the City of Brotherly Love. One, in particular, LeBron James.

According to CBS Philly, James said earlier in the season when the Cavaliers were struggling that the Cavaliers need to make up ground and get to a place where the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers are Well, while the Sixers and Raptors are out, the Cavs still have hope. Not only are they fighting for a championship, they are hoping a long run will convince James to stay.

With the 76ers set up for a long run with their cornerstones of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Robert Covington, and Dario Saric, the process is almost complete for the once dismal bunch in Philly. All that’s missing is that one piece to bring it all together. Could LeBron James be the missing link in Philly?

With James set to hit the free agent market in 2018, there have been countless rumors regarding his next destination. While many will point him toward the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, or San Antonio Spurs, his presence in Philadelphia may be the darkhorse destination.

While the Philadelphia 76ers have placed themselves on the map, the truth is, the team is still young. In order for them to make the necessary leap needed to get within distance of the Raptors and Celtics, a veteran presence with MVP capabilities is needed. LeBron has the pedigree to carry the 76ers to a championship but the question is– does he have the desire to do so? James heading to Houston with James Harden and Chris Paul or San Antonio with Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge would almost guarantee at least a place in the Western Conference Finals. The upstart 76ers are a different challenge.

Can The Sixers Handle LeBron and His Stardom?

Paul and Harden have been in the NBA long enough to know that sacrificing is the name of the game if you want to win a title. The same goes for Aldridge and Leonard. However, the 76ers are young and coming into their own and may not accept the spotlight LeBron brings with him. However, if Embiid and Simmons were to find a way, imagine how dangerous the 76ers could be.

With Simmons at the point, Embiid in the middle, LeBron at small forward, and either Saric or Covington at power forward, the 76ers would be a tough out for any team. The one area that may concern the 76ers and LeBron coming there would be shooting. The 76ers are still holding out hope the 2017 No. 1 pick, Markelle Fultz can regain his confidence. If Fultz is ready to go, he will add the missing dynamic to what could be a championship team in 2018-19.

Can the 76ers afford LeBron James? Yes, they can and more. With the Sixers set to lose J.J. Redick ($23 million), Amir Johnson ($11 million), and Trevor Booker ($9 million), the 76ers can go shopping with a bag full of money. Let’s not forget to mention the possibility of the 76ers getting the Lakers’ 2018 NBA Draft pick.

Adding his services to the young, athletic, and carefree Philadelphia 76ers will hopefully ignite the spark that has gone out in his eyes and game. While professional analysts will give the nod to the Rockets or Spurs to land LeBron, the Sixers could very well be the best spot for him to land. The scary part is, the NBA and LeBron James himself may know this as well.

Mark Wilson

Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.