Why Tyrese Maxey is the key to the 76ers landing LeBron James
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Why Tyrese Maxey is the key to the 76ers landing LeBron James originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia 76erspulled off a blockbuster trade on Thursday by acquiring All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics for a package that included Paul George and draft picks.
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However, Philadelphia is still eyeing more star power to pair with Brown, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid. According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the 76ers are also interested in signing LeBron James, who will be on a new team in 2026 after departing the Los Angeles Lakers.
"The Philadelphia 76ers have expressed interest in acquiring free agent forward LeBron James, a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations told The Athletic," Jones reported.
James is reportedly prioritizing happiness over money this time around in free agency, so he would be willing to take a sizeable pay cut to join a team for one final championship run.
Philadelphia is in the upper echelon of teams in the East, and the addition of Brown should make them one of the top title favorites. However, they could use another piece in the front court to help Embiid, and James would be an ideal fit.
There is a line of teams interested in James, and if the 76ers want any chance of landing the four-time MVP, Maxey needs to be the catalyst for their pursuit.
Why Tyrese Maxey is the key to the 76ers landing LeBron James
Maxey and James have built a close relationship over the last few years, as both players share the same agent in Rich Paul. Maxey even said after a matchup with the Lakers in 2025 that James was like a big brother to him.
As a result, ESPN's Brian Windhorst believes Maxey will be the key factor in Philadelphia's pursuit of James in free agency.
"The key factor in any sort of Philadelphia pursuit for Lebron is Tyrese Maxey," Windhorst said on ESPN's NBA Today on Thursday. "He's [Maxey is] one of the Clutch's core clients. He's basically a part of Lebron's extended family. The connection to Philly is Tyrese Maxey."
Maxey has developed into one of the most prolific guards in the sport, and the two-time All-Star is coming off a career year in 2025, in which he averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists per game on 46.2% from the field and 36.7% from three.
Now, the 76ers will be counting on the 25-year-old to be the primary voice that leads James to finishing his career in Philadelphia.
If LeBron truly only cares about being happy and competing for a title, Philadelphia is the perfect landing spot. His friendship with Maxey is already well documented, and the 41-year-old also has a strong connection with Embiid, as the two shared the court during the Olympics in 2024.
Obviously, James' connection to Steph Curry and Draymond Green could lead him to signing with the Golden State Warriors. A return to the Cleveland Cavaliers or Miami Heat can't be ruled out as well.
However, the 76ers provide everything James is looking for: happiness, friendships, and a chance to win a fifth championship in what could be the final chapter of the greatest NBA story of all time.