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The 76ers have not won the championship since 1983. James was not even born yet at that time. But many believe that Philadelphia will finally end that drought. In fact, Brown revealed on his livestream that he already has a plan if they win the title. James, however, might need more convincing. “I told VJ, Bron, Max, and Embiid, if we win the championship, everybody's going skydiving. Bron texted me back and said, ‘Boy, hell nah!'” shared Brown with a laugh.
Steven Adams on LeBron James' move to Philadelphia: "I don't really care too much. Just because it doesn't necessarily matter in that sense. Just because you have to just see how you are in the year. You have to come together. Even our team, we have to click, come together as a buy-in. New data comes out, do we have to change the play style? There's a lot of other variables. I mean, it's cool, but just for me, I'm just like, whoever's on the other team, cool. I have to worry about our team, how we're going to do."
Olden Polynice on Rich Paul saying Kobe Bryant would have supported LeBron James’ decision to join Philly: “This goes out to Rich Paul. I have nothing but respect for you as far as how what you’ve accomplished and how you got there. You worked your butt off. But you need to shut the fu*k up with that statement because that is the most asinine thing. Number one, we don’t know. You shouldn’t bring up Kobe in any way, shape, or form that he would know what you know, LeBron, you know, the decision LeBron made. That’s some bullsh*t, Okay. This is clickbait all over again. That’s like me walking up and slapping somebody and going, Malcolm X would have understood it. I don’t know what the hell Malcolm X would understand. And so to me, don’t do that. That’s so disrespectful.”
You’ve talked publicly about LeBron’s best fit being in Miami. What were your thoughts on LeBron choosing Philadelphia and not Miami? Chris Bosh: I mean, they have a good team. They have championship aspirations. You look on paper, they look pretty good. For them, the most important thing is figuring out how they're going to play, how they're going to play together, their defensive schemes and offensive schemes. But most importantly, the five that are out there on the court and then the team, how are they going to come together? How are they going to share the ball? How are they going to be solid as a unit moving forward? That's going to be the hard part. And, hell, like any other team, being healthy, fighting through the ups and downs, that's what it's about.
James, 41, announced on July 24 that he would join the 76ers rather than the Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers or Miami Heat after weighing his latest free agency move for more than three weeks. While Durant, 37, said he had no advance notice about the decision, he believes the growing buzz around the 76ers is "only going to help" grow interest in the NBA. "I didn't know at all," Durant said. "LeBron is stealth like that. I know there's a lot of noise around him, but you never know what's on his mind. I'm happy for him. It's a great decision for him to go to a team that has a good chance to win. Philly is a great fanbase, a great market, and it's great for the league. There were so many eyes that were tuned in to his decision."
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NBA Courtside: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on reuniting with LeBron James in Philly: “I just want to get back to playing meaningful basketball. Like playing for something like you saying for another championship. I say that area again, that spotlight, you know, the playoffs, man. Ain’t nothing like it, man. And in the competition like the competitiveness just I want it. I still got a lot of years in me that I can still go.” (Via @Thedawgtalkpod)
New York has been conservative with allowing helipads on tops of buildings since 1977, when a helicopter tipped over while attempting to land on the MetLife building in Midtown Manhattan. Some remain, but they are not for commercial use; instead, they are allowed for hospitals or police. Though he has yet to change the city’s policies, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani campaigned on further restrictions for air travel, saying last April that “we must end non-essential helicopter flights immediately.” Conditions must be ideal. Visibility is the most common reason for helicopter delays or cancellations. And remember, the environment around James matters here. LA Clippers wing Kawhi Leonard famously commuted from San Diego via helicopter, while Kobe Bryant choppered from his home in Orange County, Calif., to Los Angeles Lakers games. But that was in Southern California, where skies are clearer than they are in the Northeast. Fog is common in the New York-to-Philadelphia corridor, especially in the mornings.
Eagles star wide receiver DeVonta Smith, a noted Celtics fan, might feel conflicted: “Looks like the Sixers are trying to go win one. Can’t be mad at that.” The Eagles might have helped recruit James to Philadelphia indirectly. Running back Saquon Barkley, who said before James signed with the 76ers that you’re “remembered forever” if you win a title in Philadelphia, added that “the city of Philadelphia is a super cool place to be for sports in how involved the fans are, and having LeBron here is great for the culture.”
James can never be 6-for-6 in the Finals like Jordan -- that was out the window after losing in his first Finals trip in 2007 -- but if he fulfills his two-year, $8 million contract with Philadelphia, he'll have played 25 years in the league. A full 10 more than Jordan, a staple of longevity that Jordan's legacy can never touch. And who knows if it stops there. "I think Philadelphia's going to energize him," Paul told ESPN. "Maybe we get two [seasons]. Maybe we get four."
Mike Vorkunov: The 2nd round pick the 76ers sent to the Clippers in the Johni Broome trade: The second most favorable between (1) the most favorable of Houston/Indiana/Miami/Oklahoma City, (2) the most favorable of Golden State/Phoenix, or (3) Philadelphia’s own 2027 second-round pick.
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Bobby Marks: Caldwell-Pope will clear waivers at 5pm ET. today. Philadelphia will have an open roster spot but are are not allowed to sign a player until late December.
With James choosing Philadelphia on Friday, the NBA can get to work in finalizing its 2026-27 schedule. Even at 41 years old, he remains a key component of the NBA’s broadcast plans. While James’ delayed decision slowed down NBA business, the league still expects to announce its schedule in mid-August as it historically has, according to a league spokesperson. But it seems that it has at least impacted the process.
Jake Chipper: Shams Charania on NBA Today: "The Sixers are expecting LeBron James to play a good amount of time at the point guard position... Think of a better player that can set the table for Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid & VJ Edgecombe. There's all these players that can score, that can get the ball from LeBron"