The 76ers Official Pitch To Lebron James

It’s officially midnight on July 1st. It’s about to get wild. A lot of big names are now free agents, including the biggest name this era has ever seen. While it seems like an LA super team is inevitable, it doesn’t hurt for Philadelphia to shoot its shot. The Sixers don’t have a GM right now, so I’ll try my best to play the role. Here it is, the official pitch for Lebron James:

Any pitch that doesn’t start off with a team telling Lebron how they intend to beat the Warriors is a waste. “Here is our plan to get you past the Golden State obstacle that you and and the rest of the league has been faced with…”. All that glitz and glam BS about being in a market that enhances your brand is such a waste. I know the pitch for LA is “you have two houses here and you could strengthen your brand with Hollywood’s help”. Yes, and as it currently stands, they also have a 30 win roster. You can play somewhere else and still star in Space Jam 2. If you can create the illustrious brand that is “King James” in a shithole like Cleveland, trust me you’ll do just fine in Philadelphia. LA can sell you on the star life, the Sixers can sell you on an actual plan to defeat Golden State.

Part of beating Golden State is avoiding Golden State. What better way to do that than in the East. Lebron switching from the Cavs to the Sixers would eliminate Cleveland from the list of contenders in the Eastern Conference. The East would be a two horse race between Philly and Boston, a Boston team that Lebron and the Bad News Bears already beat in the playoffs. Lebron jumping to Philly flips the series from the Celtics in 5 games, like it was, to the Sixers in 5 games. You stay in the East, you continue to cake walk to the finals.

As far as the actual team, I am shocked that free agents seem to be viewing the Sixers as a runner-up. They present the most unique perfect storm for a superstar free agent. With a lot of young players not yet on the cusp of max money, they have the space to add huge pieces to a roster that will only grow more talented. All these other teams need so many moving parts to make this work. LA has to trade their young core for Kawhi, and even then it’s only a two man show eating of all their cap space. If Lebron and Paul George sign there, is it enough to beat the Warriors? Is it even enough to beat the Rockets? Speaking of Houston, they have been pretty much written off without a sign and trade miracle move. They have too much money already tied up to make it work. Are there any other teams worth mentioning that even have a shot? The 52 win, already contending Sixers can just plug and play. Pop one superstar onto the already existing roster and there is no need for seismic shifts, the balance of talent remains.

Once you plug one superstar (Lebron) onto the team, the mid-level exception talent follows. The Philadelphia 76ers adding guys imploring the David West strategy of “I can get more money somewhere else but I’m trying to get this ring” would make this team the deepest in the league. It’s what’s allowed Golden State to survive; quality pieces not making what they are worth and sacrificing for three rings in four years. The Sixers roster as it stands, knowing it will improve as the young core ages, Lebron and mid-level exception role players would make this team scary deep. Robert Covington would become one of the best bench guys (probably a very fitting role for his skill set actually) in the league and Lebron wouldn’t have to kill himself for 48 minutes every night. In his career, Bron has always fallen victim to teams with impressive depth. In Philly, he wouldn’t have to sacrifice depth for star power.

The Philadelphia 76ers have created the dream roster scenario for any star without a home and maybe none of them will utilize it. I get why LA is attractive, I do. The winter really fucking sucks here. I live in Manayunk, when it snows even I wished I lived in LA. I get that it’s a good place for your family and they’ve already established a lifestyle there. Malvern Prep ain’t too shabby, yet I still get it. But, if you are chasing the ghost that is Michael Jordan and having 7 rings to his 6 is the ultimate goal, the clock is really ticking. I know Season 15 of Lebron’s conquest might have been his best yet but there will come a day where it’s all over and that day is not that far away. As it stands now, Steph Curry has a better shot of catching Michael than Lebron does. That can’t happen. The house in the LA hills can wait, it will always be there. The ability to go down as the greatest ever has a few slivers of sand left in the hour glass. What the Sixers roster situation and gluttony of cap space can do is give you the opportunity to chase that in the most effective way. This is the golden age of sports in this town. Lebron, you would be the crowning final piece. Give Philly a chance.