The Philadelphia 76ers have been a hotbed of activity since the free agency window opened. After pulling off a trade to acquire Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown, the 76ers emerged as a suitor for 41-year-old superstar LeBron James. For all intents and purposes, something big is brewing in Philadelphia, but their latest move may have hurt their chances of landing James.
In an attempt to revitalize their depleted guard depth, the Philadelphia 76ers reportedly signed free agent guard Anfernee Simons to a two-year, $12.3 million deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“Just in: Free agent guard Anfernee Simons has agreed to a two-year, $12.3 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, with a player option in the second season, sources tell ESPN. Simons chose the 76ers over other suitors, believing his fit is perfect with the revamped 76ers roster.”
In theory, this is a great signing for the 76ers. Last season, Simons primarily came off the bench for the Celtics. Still, the guard displayed upside, averaging 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 44.0% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range.
With Quentin Grimes and Kyle Lowry (potentially) leaving this summer, the 76ers needed another guard to bolster their backcourt depth. However, at a $6.0 million cap hit in the first year of his contract, Simons’ arrival has consumed valuable cap space that could have been used to land LeBron James.
Currently, the 76ers have a payroll of $201.8 million, which is just above the tax and $7.2 million below the first apron. This isn’t a terrible position to be in, given that they already have 14 active players on the roster. However, when considering that their best offer to LeBron James right now is a two-year, $14.4 million deal using a portion of the non-taxpayer MLE, Philadelphia may need to revisit its plans.
Theoretically, the 76ers could clear up some cap space by declining Jabari Walker’s $2.8 million team option and waiving a player like Dalen Terry. But given that they would be hard-capped after using the MLE, filling out the remaining roster with minimum contracts would be challenging.
Tyrese Maxey Could Be The Key To Recruiting LeBron James
As mentioned above, the financial route isn’t in Philadelphia’s favor when it comes to signing LeBron James. Hence, to acquire the 41-year-old, the 76ers may have to get a little creative.
On that note, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst presented an intriguing suggestion when he noted that Tyrese Maxey might be the key to bringing LeBron James over to the Philadelphia 76ers.
“There is a long-standing relationship between Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James because of Klutch Sports,” Windhorst shared. “They recruited Tyrese Maxey out of college, they nurtured him together, and they’ve been to many events together.”
“Joel Embiid also won the gold medal with LeBron, and the 2024 Paris team definitely has some closeness to it,” he continued. “I’ve been talking all week about how Stephen Curry could be a drawing card for him. So there’s that connection, too. But the connection to Philly is Tyrese Maxey and the Klutch connection. That would be where you make your recruitment [pitch]. Then, obviously, the Jaylen Brown move is a statement that we can win the Eastern Conference.”
Although one could argue that Brian Windhorst’s claim is largely speculative and, to some extent, excessively optimistic, there is some merit to it.
With the addition of Jaylen Brown, the Philadelphia 76ers have undoubtedly become one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. When noting LeBron James’ priorities in selecting his next destination, joining a team with a real chance to contend for a title seems to align with his plans.
James’ relationship with Tyrese Maxey and Klutch Sports could also be another factor. Even though this may not be as impactful at first glance, Maxey’s influence could be the defining factor in negotiations.
Although Philadelphia’s salary cap situation could be an obstacle, they can find solace in the fact that James’ decision will not be financially driven. With reports indicating that the 41-year-old is even willing to play on a minimum contract, it will be intriguing to see whether the 76ers’ final offer is convincing enough.
