Asked on Thursday about the possibility of recruiting LeBron James to the Sixers this summer, Joel Embiid hesitated and requested clarity on the NBA’s tampering rules before ultimately telling reporters to ask him again on July 1, the first day of the 2018/19 NBA league year.
Still, while Embiid wasn’t willing to commit specifically to helping the 76ers pursue the summer’s top free agent, he did say in general terms that he’s very open to selling players on Philadelphia, as Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer details.
“I’ll do whatever this team needs me to do,” Embiid said of recruiting free agents, per Pompey. “I feel like I’m the leader. If the team needs me to recruit somebody, I’ll be here. I’ll be doing that. … I want to win. I feel like any of those guys that they want to go after that’s going to help us win, I’ll be right here helping them.”
Here’s more out of Philadelphia:
- Count veteran sharpshooter Marco Belinelli among the free-agents-to-be who has interest in returning to Philadelphia next season. In a post on Twitter, Belinelli tells fans that he “trusted the process since day one” and would like to continue wearing a Sixers jersey.
- T.J. McConnell indicated on Thursday that he expects the Sixers to pick up his inexpensive team option for 2018/19 (Twitter link via Kevin Kinkead of Crossing Broad). While that $1.6MM option would be a great bargain for the club, it’s not a mortal lock to be exercised — picking it up would put McConnell on track for unrestricted free agency in 2019, while the Sixers could safely lock him up to a multiyear deal this summer by turning down the option and making him a restricted free agent. (Update: Bryan Colangelo confirmed the Sixers will exercise McConnell’s option.)
- After a rookie season in which he appeared in just 14 regular season games and three postseason contests, Markelle Fultz may be a candidate to play in Summer League for the 76ers this July. Keith Pompey explores that possibility in a story for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ESPN’s Zach Lowe took an in-depth and interesting look at how the Sixers’ analytics department informs many of the club’s rotation and lineup decisions.
Big reality check Joel, if Lebron comes over you are no longer the leader. Lebron can help you win 2-3 titles and then you and Ben can help him win 1 more. Lebron could really reach 6-7 rings if he joint the Sixers. But I saw Kawhi was at the Dodgers game last night so maybe Lebron and Kawhi get together on the Lakers or Clippers this summer. Plus Westbrook might get moved, somethint crazy could be brewing. Russ is from LA, imagine Lebron and Westbrook team up in LA with George?
Westbrook is not getting moved anytime soon. Don’t fall for the clickbait headlines. It’s not happening.
It’s possible, it’s all clicking. George is from LA, Russ is from LA, Lebron has bought a second mansion in LA. They got money for 2 free agents and can always move Ball,Ingram, and Kuzma if they want Russ.
Westbrook-George-Lebron-?-Noel
OKC is too small of a market to lose a star like him. Unless they draft one, no star is coming to play there. It would be murder to the immediate future of the team. They may never win a championship with him there, but he gets them to the playoffs and puts asses in the seats. Too risky to give up on him.
They’ve got Ferguson the young kid who’s got insane upside. They can load up on picks and swing for Bol Bol or a Zion Williamson next season. They’ve got to blow it up if George leaves.
The fact that you felt the need to explain who Ferguson was to me only proves my point. They need Westbrook to fill that arena.
Ferguson will be a star.
Dude everyone in the league is from LA
Westbrook makes everyone on his team worse being a ball hog. Will win 0 championships.
Yet he led the league in assists.
Yet he holds the ball almost every possession. Assists don’t necessarily mean he makes his team better.
why would philly need Lebron or any other superstar they can grow organically with “the process” they don’t have to win now, with patience they can win many rings in the future keeping Ben & Joel together as the real leaders of the team.
I’m all about the grow mentality. Keep Fultz, saric, Simmons, Embiid and find a legit swingman and you’ve got a championship team for years to come. They’re clearly one piece away, and it doesn’t need to be LeBron. RoCo as a sixth man off the bench, solid 3% and defense, would be great.