Philadelphia 76ers: 3 steps to acquiring LeBron James
By Simon Smith
1. Make an impression in the postseason
This last step almost goes without saying.
With James at the tail end of the prime of his career, he’s certainly not going to enter a situation in which his chances of competing for a title are not a strong possibility. That means the remainder of the regular season, and most importantly the playoffs, are essentially an auction in enticing James to Philadelphia.
Hence, there are two possibilities. First, the Sixers’ distinct lack of playoff experience gets the best of them, and they suffer a humiliating first-round loss in four or five games. Aside from shooting guard J.J. Redick, the remaining Sixers’ starting lineup has not registered a single playoff game between them.
The other possibility is that the Sixers’ exciting young core rises to the occasion and plays to its potential. Given Philly’s notable strides to date, there’s no reason to believe that the Embiid and Simmons duo in particular can’t flourish on the larger stage.
Currently sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, gaining home-court advantage for the first round is still a distinct possibility if they are able to finish the regular season on a strong note. As local Sixers’ reporter Jon Johnson tweeted out recently:
Disclaimer:If Sixers feel Lebron is the missing piece, they need to peak his interest by winning at least one rd in playoffs.
— Jon Johnson (@jonjohnsonwip) February 26, 2018
Simmons relationship is great, but won’t be enough. If he leaves CLE, it’s to win a title one more time. Gotta show you’re on the verge of true contender.
But a follow-up tweet from Johnson would’ve been more than heartening for all diehard Sixers’ fans:
After speaking to several individuals around the league the past few days, Lebron to philly has a much higher percentage of happening than most think.
— Jon Johnson (@jonjohnsonwip) March 1, 2018
One league source told me, “50/50.”
At this stage, it’s of course anyone’s guess as to James’ intentions moving forward. But even having just a slight chance of obtaining The King’s services means the Sixers should leave no stone unturned in the coming months. Embiid’s reign among the elite in the use of social media will come in very handy, as was the case after their most recent contest against the Cavaliers:
For his part, James also chimed in with his own:
If banter counts for anything, then the Sixers should enjoy their chances in the LeBron sweepstakes.
Next: 2018 NBA Draft - Early March Mock Draft
In the meantime, let’s enjoy the ensuing months for the various storyline that may transpire.