The Los Angeles Lakers will have to make a choice this offseason about LeBron James. Los Angeles is anticipated to work out an agreement with arguably the greatest player ever, but his son Bronny James entering the NBA could alter his plans. If Bronny joins the draft, a team might pick him in hopes that his dad will follow. Of those teams, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report views the Philadelphia 76ers is seen as a team that might do that.
Pincus shared his early forecasts for the NBA offseason, forecasting the 76ers to pick up Bronny and acquire James in free agency.
“What if the Sixers used their first- or second-round pick in June to select Bronny James? If his father, LeBron James (No. 1 on our free-agent big board), decided to end his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia could have just enough to pay him around $50 million.
“That would give the Sixers an additional $7 million in space, plus the room mid-level exception of about $8 million to complete a roster with Paul Reed, Embiid, Maxey and the James father-and-son pairing.”
Pairing James with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey immediately improves the 76ers, making them an even bigger contender than they already are when healthy.
What Do the Lakers Do if They Lose Lebron James?
The Los Angeles Lakers losing LeBron James could set the franchise back a few years. While they are far from the Lakers the NBA world is used to seeing, currently in 10th place in the Western Conference, they’re still a team that can make noise due to James and Anthony Davis.
Losing him, even being as old as he is, would be devastating.
However, given this is the Lakers, it’s tough to imagine that the struggles would last for too long. The Lakers have had down seasons in the past, but they historically haven’t struggled in ways other franchises have.
In fact, if James left, the Lakers would likely be in play to land the next big star.
If he does plan on leaving, the Lakers should look to facilitate a trade. At the very least, they can get something back for the NBA’s leading scorer.
How James Would Help the 76ers
James continues to prove that he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Unfortunately, the Los Angeles Lakers haven’t taken advantage of his play this season, but what he did on March 16 against the Golden State Warriors is the exact reason why the Philadelphia 76rs would want to land him.
He scored 40 points while making 15-23 from the field with nine assists, eight rebounds, and three made threes.
On the season, the 39-year-old is averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. James is shooting over 40% from three-point range, too, tied for the highest mark of his career.
He would help the 76ers compete in a loaded Eastern Conference with the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. James wouldn’t have to be the No. 1 option for the 76ers to win, a huge difference in his current role with the Lakers.
