Philadelphia has constructed a powerhouse this offseason, but the LeBron James 76ers fit may lead to undesirable results. While the new-look Sixers look flawless on paper, there will be one major problem that turns them from being true contenders to pretenders.
There’s a bunch of talent, but only one ball to spread around.
As mentioned, the new 76ers roster looks very impressive and will be a top team to use in the next NBA 2K video game, but in the real-world, cohesion matters. Teams in the NBA don’t just win by putting together great players. They win by building rosters with players who will mesh well together.
James, with this current Philadelphia unit, does not look like a cohesive team. The Sixers have too many ball-dominant players and players who want to be the “Franchise Guy”.
With a projected lineup of James, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid, the 76ers will have four starters with an on-ball percentage of over 20%.
Maxey has been a ball-dominant guard since entering the league, having an on-ball percentage of over 30% every year of his career. Brown, who is coming off his most ball-dominant season, controlled the ball 28.8% of the time on the Boston Celtics last year.
Along with their ball dominance, both Maxey and Brown have rightful arguments to be the number one option next year. Maxey averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists last season, leading Philadelphia in both categories. He also played a major role in their first-round upset victory over the Celtics in the playoffs.
For Brown, one reason he was traded from the Celtics was to be a top option. He averaged a career high in points, rebounds, and assists last season while leading Boston to the second seed in the Eastern Conference without Jayson Tatum.
Brown compiled 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists last year.
Edgecombe, in only his rookie season, was also pretty ball-dominant, as he had the ball 23.1% of the time. If anyone were to get stalled out and pushed off the ball, it would be him, but it may not fit his playstyle. Last season, 34% of his shot attempts came from creation (isolation, pick-n-roll ball handler).
While the majority of V.J.’s shots came from creation, he did score more efficiently due to spacing (spot-up, off-ball screen). His true shooting from space-related shots was 11% higher than his shots from creation.
Then, there’s the former MVP (Most Valuable Player), Embiid. Though he isn’t as ball-dominant as his other teammates, he is the 5th most ball-dominant center in the league. In his 38 games played last season, he did seem comfortable taking a backseat role to Maxey, but with James and Brown joining the team, he may not be willing to fall further back.
With the Sixers needing some players to take a more off-ball role, some may believe that LeBron either can’t fulfill that role or wouldn’t want to. But, the question isn’t “can James play off-ball”?
It’s “should he”?
At various points throughout the career of James, he has shown his ability and willingness to play off the ball. Last season, he showcased this the most.
LeBron possessed the ball 23.2% of the time, which was the most he played off-the-ball in over a decade. He also managed to play this style of basketball very effectively.
After years of taking most of his shots from creation, James attempted those shots significantly less last season. Instead, he opted to finish at the rim more in transition and as a cutter. 45% of his shot attempts came from transition and cutter looks.
James was efficient on those attempts as well, having a true shooting of more than 64% on both shot types.
Now that it’s established that James can play off the ball, it’s important to note that he did so because he was playing with Luka Doncic. Doncic is a one-of-a-kind offensive engine that can run an offense on his own. He created the second-most points per game in the NBA last season, with 52.7, and had the sixth-highest Daily Plus-Minus last year, with a +4.5.
While Philadelphia has talented players on the roster, they aren’t Luka.
Maxey played really well in the first round of the playoffs last year, but in the second round, his numbers declined drastically. Brown had an impressive regular season, but was disappointing in the playoffs, having an Offensive On/Off Rating of -30.0. Embiid is still one of the best centers in the NBA, but he has played fewer than 40 games each of the last three seasons.
Meanwhile, LeBron averaged more points in the playoffs than in the regular season. He had a Net On/Off Rating of +2.0 in the postseason and played more than 60 games each of the last three seasons.
With the 76ers having many key players that either collapse in the playoffs or don’t play at all, James may be their only option for consistent play when it matters the most.
LeBron joining the Sixers is a clear attempt to enter rarified air by winning a fifth NBA title. While it is “ring chasing” by definition, James won’t be able to sit and coast on the way to another championship victory.
The 76ers are a very talented team, but there will be moments when LeBron has to step up and lead.
The NBA’s Eastern Conference isn’t a pushover anymore, like it was for most of James’ career. For the Sixers to win next season, egos will have to be put to the side, and the “alpha” role may have to be passed around game by game.
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