As LeBron James’ free agency decision carried into a second week, the Philadelphia 76ers maintained pursuit of the four-time NBA champion through three of their players, according to league sources who spoke with ESPN.
Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown have each spoken with James, sources said, with Maxey described as leading the effort to connect with the 41-year-old.
Maxey, a 25-year-old Klutch Sports client, has trained alongside James during recent offseasons. He has also publicly referred to James as a “big brother.”
Embiid, who earned the 2022-23 league MVP award, previously teamed with James on Team USA to capture a gold medal during the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Brown and James shared postseason matchups years earlier, when James was with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brown played for the Boston Celtics. James endorsed Brown for MVP consideration in February, saying, “He’s playing great basketball, man. This whole MVP thing, I don’t understand why his name is not getting talked about some, as well. Like, nobody gave them a shot to start the season.”
James also commented on Philadelphia fans following a December game in which he scored 12 of his 29 points during the fourth quarter. He made 5 of 6 field goals in that stretch, largely on jump shots, as the Los Angeles Lakers earned a 112-108 win.
“One thing you know about Philly fans, they don’t care about anybody besides their home teams, and I respect and I love that,” James said. “I’ve played here, for obviously 23 years, a lot more when I was in Eastern Conference. But to be able to have an appreciation for the City of Brotherly Love and for me to go out and still play the game that I love and them respect it, whatever the case may be — if they do — it’s pretty cool.”
Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania that the Sixers remain among the top potential destinations for James, alongside the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat.
Bob Myers, president of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment — the company that owns the 76ers — spoke about Philadelphia as a possible fit for James on the “Game Over” podcast hosted by Max Kellerman and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, who represents James.
“If he was here, I’d say, ‘I honestly believe this is your best chance to win. You have to decide all the other things that are equally important,’” Myers said. “What I would just say is, if it’s about winning, let’s talk about this team. Because you can win here in Philadelphia.”
Mike Gansey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, who previously worked in the Cavaliers’ front office during James’ second tenure there, supported the same idea on Monday.
“We’ve had conversations with Rich, really, since the Jaylen trade,” Gansey told The Athletic. “LeBron and his camp have kept quiet, and there has been speculation for different teams. But we’d obviously love to have LeBron. I respect the heck out of him. In my opinion, he’s the best player of all time.”
James is scheduled for public appearances this week in New York.
On Thursday, he will attend Fanatics Fest at the Javits Center for two events — the Game Plan business and sports summit hosted by the Boardroom’s Rich Kleiman and CNBC, and a live taping of his podcast “Mind the Game,” featuring Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton as a guest.
Later that evening, he will be recognized at the Time 100 gala after being named the magazine’s “Athlete of the Century.”
James will return to Fanatics Fest on Friday to record a live episode of his barbershop-style program “The Shop.” The cast includes tennis player Novak Djokovic, along with Maverick Carter, Travis Bennett, and Steelo Brim.
The 76ers’ pursuit of James continues while the franchise’s top executives, current All-Stars, and Klutch Sports connections maintain open lines of communication as the free agent’s decision process unfolds.