Cleveland Cavs Rumors: LeBron James To Philadelphia 76ers As NBA Free Agent?
With NBA superstar LeBron James potentially headed for free agency after this season, there are Cleveland Cavs rumors swirling about whether he’ll end up with a new team. For weeks and months, the main team being thrown out there in the speculation has been the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s been suggested that “King James” would move out to L.A., where he could take better advantage of his brand and other opportunities while trying to win a championship with Lonzo Ball and any other stars Magic Johnson brings to the Lakers. Now, there are new NBA rumors that the Cleveland Cavaliers star could wind up with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The latest speculation over LeBron James’ future destination comes via a USA Today report in which Jeff Zillgitt suggested the league’s top star should join Philadelphia’s roster. It’s mentioned by Zillgitt that Philadelphia would have ample salary cap space to use for signing a 2018 free agent, but they’d probably need to make some other moves to pay LeBron’s salary. That could mean moving their newest draft pick, which many fans would argue is a small price to pay in terms of adding LeBron to the roster. In addition, they have the sort of roster that James could join in the Eastern Conference that would still be able to compete for an NBA Championship. James would be aligned with some of the NBA’s newest stars in Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiid, as well as Dario Saric and recent No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are surging right now, and that’s before they’ve even debuted All-Star Isaiah Thomas as part of the lineup. He’s expected to be out until midseason but could return sooner. Even without Thomas on the court, James and company have run off 10 straight wins, making them the hottest team in the league. Still, LeBron has teamed up with Dwyane Wade, who is not exactly going to stay playing much longer. There’s also Derrick Rose, who recently said he needed time away from the basketball court after coming to the Cavs with high expectations.
All of that adds up to an aged Cavs roster that probably won’t be able to keep up with the type of talent the Boston Celtics have assembled. If LeBron were to join a team such as the 76ers, he’d put Philadelphia on another level in terms of competing in the East. Basically, LeBron makes whichever team he joins an instant contender. The question is whether or not he’d want to be in the “City of Brotherly Love.” James might prefer L.A. or New York in terms of a major city to call home.
Either way, now there are NBA rumors involving LeBron James heading to multiple teams next season. The Los Angeles Lakers were strong contenders in the rumor mill, and the New York Knicks with Kristaps Porzingis have also been mentioned. Some people have argued that maybe LeBron James should consider joining the San Antonio Spurs and playing under Gregg Popovich. The legendary coach has quite the reputation when it comes to creating the championship culture with any roster, and having a superstar of James’ caliber would go a long way in San Antonio.
Add the Philadelphia 76ers to the list of potential contenders in the next “LeBron James sweepstakes” should he manage to enter NBA free agency in 2018 without being traded or secured by the Cleveland Cavs first.
[Featured Image by Matt Slocum/AP Images]
