The Philadelphia 76ers have emerged as a contender for free agent LeBron James, seeking to persuade him just one day after executing a stunning trade for superstar wing Jaylen Brown, Yankee Scores reports.
League sources informed ESPN’s Shams Charania that James is also being pursued by the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. James is expected to take his time before deciding where he will go next in his historic 23-year career.
The Sixers pulled off a blockbuster Wednesday when they agreed to trade veteran wing Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks to the Boston Celtics for Brown, sources told The Athletic. Brown, 29, finished sixth in MVP voting last season, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 71 games.
The Brown addition, coupled with a free agency agreement with scoring guard Anfernee Simons Thursday morning, is the sort of roster upgrade that could help lure James, who has made clear he is looking for happiness but also a real chance to win at the highest level with his next team.
Meanwhile, the Warriors have received some signals from James that they are still on his short list, but team sources have recently expressed the belief that they are not necessarily at the top of that short list, as James continues to survey the landscape.
The Warriors still have avenues to create enough space to give James the $15.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception, but the math is getting more and more complicated after their recent signings of Kristaps Porzingis and De’Anthony Melton.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers might have to shed some midtier contracts, like the Max Strus and Dennis Schroder deals, to free up more money to give James. But the Sixers are limited to offering James the veteran minimum of about $3.9 million.
