The Philadelphia 76ers have hit a turning point in one of the most polarizing rebuilds in NBA history. After four years of intentionally losing, Philadelphia is on the cusp of a playoff berth. Since Jan. 1, they’re 16-8 with the league’s fourth-best net rating (6.2) per NBA.com. With a 108-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, they earned LeBron James’ respect.
In a brief exchange between James and Joel Embiid, the 76ers caught the basketball world’s attention.
Trust The Process??? Always a great time playing against one of the best to ever play the game #summer2018goals pic.twitter.com/4bY941yyRO
— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) March 2, 2018
The gears are turning in the right direction for the young 76ers. Complementing their inspiring play is an ocean of cap space in a summer where it’s drying up almost everywhere else in the league.
Cleveland’s regular seasons have been rollercoasters since James returned to the Cavaliers, but with Kyrie Irving in Boston, this is the first where the tracks ahead aren’t clear. Making it out of the Eastern Conference Finals no longer looks inevitable.
LeBron James leaving Cleveland for the second time seems more likely now than ever. If James does decide to bid farewell to his hometown, he'll have his obvious pickings to choose from in the summer. The 76ers have a real shot.
But in order for the 76ers to get LeBron to really look into Philadelphia-based schools for his family, here’s what’s going to need to happen:
5. Selling the narrative
No matter what athletes say, legacy is important. Especially for LeBron James. He tried to embrace being the villain in his first season in Miami, which didn’t suit him. After softening his tone and finding his comfort level, he won two rings in a legendary Big Three.
LeBron then returned to Cleveland as a savior, leading the Cavs to the single greatest comeback the league has ever seen to bring his hometown its first championship in over half a century.
Houston and San Antonio would give him better supporting casts, but the 76ers offer something more. The Process is only now starting to take shape and Philadelphia offers LeBron the opportunity to be a teacher and mentor to a younger cast of superstars.
4. Retaining depth
The flaw in LeBron James-led teams, if it can be called as such, is each is born old. Cleveland brought in veterans immediately to capitalize on LeBron’s potential, the Heat surrendered draft picks to get him.
By the end of each of his previous two runs, LeBron has been left carrying teams running on fumes.
The 76ers are the rare opportunity to merge young, developing talent and an immediate championship window. But they’ll need to somehow retain or replace key guys like Richaun Holmes and J.J. Redick.
Redick is still an elite catch-and-shoot option but will have to take a significant pay cut from his one-year, $23 million deal if he wants to return to Philadelphia.
Fortunately, the 76ers are still flush with draft assets and have become a viable landing place for veterans like Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova, even without James.
3. Bring home some hardware
The 76ers won’t hold the Larry O’Brien trophy or an MVP but the 76ers’ performance in regular season awards still means something in recruiting.
Ben Simmons is in a two-headed race with Donovan Mitchell for Rookie of the Year. His stat-line of 16.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game is eye-popping for a rookie. His defense, once a big question mark, has been superb this year. With great size and athleticism, he’s a versatile defender capable of guarding point guards and power forwards. His length has been disruptive to opponents, spearheading one of the league’s better defenses.
Behind him, Embiid has his foot in the Defensive Player of the Year race. Although a dark horse candidate, Embiid has posted 1.8 blocks per game, a 10.0 net rating, and a 28.9 percent rebound percentage.
Embiid is most likely going to see himself named on one of the NBA All-Teams, and depending on where Anthony Davis is considered positionally, he could find himself on the first team.
Individual trophies aren't the biggest reasons why LeBron James would come, but it does show off how special the young core is.
2. Make the playoffs
The 76ers have been on a tear lately, winning eight of their last 10 games. Still, they find themselves in danger of missing the postseason entirely.
The Heat, Detroit Pistons, and Milwaukee Bucks are all on the heels of the 76ers with just a month and some change remaining. Philadelphia has been streaky, slumping shortly after catching fire.
They’re also just a win behind the Indiana Pacers for the fifth seed, and if this recent run is sustainable—and Cleveland’s own up-and-down play persists—an intriguing first round date with the player they hope to court is in play.
1. Win a playoff series
Durability aside, LeBron James is an older player with a shorter window. The 76ers are a young team whose best days are ahead of them.
Finding some postseason success would go a long way towards convincing LeBron the 76ers are closer to his timeline than a rebuilding one.
This is an arduous task. Philadelphia’s young core has only been together this season, showing its inconsistency. And that’s before the atmosphere of a playoff game overwhelms the senses.
If Philadelphia could somehow knock out the Cavaliers in the first round, it would be the single strongest case any team in the East has in a free agency scramble.
A combination of stellar postseason play from the 76ers and a disappointing run by the Cavaliers will only serve to help convince James to leave Cleveland. The 76ers, by way of The Process, are in a prime position to make a run at him.
After all, LeBron James is constantly growing and evolving, and The Process…well, the process never stops.
Follow Us
Subscribe