Just wanted to lay out what needs to happen for this 76ers fantasy to happen that a few people have thrown out here. I would also like to add it would either be the best or second best offseason in NBA history (depending on how you value young lebron and bosh joining a team versus old lebron and leonard joining a team.
1) 76ers decide whether to fire or keep Bryan C.
a) if keep do players (lebron) trust him
b) if fire, who do they get and how long does it take to get in place? Griffin is pretty unlikely as a protege to Bryan C (Griffin has repeatedly talked about how much he admires BC). Some think they target a young mind focused on analytics. We all saw how much the transition killed Cleveland last off season.
2) The spurs decide they need to trade Leonard. Note this is still unlikely as Leonard and Pops have been extremely close since he came in the league and the Spurs have kept all of their star players in the franchise (Parker, Ginobli, Duncan, Robinson etc etc) going back 30 years. I have never seen a statement from Leonard that he wants/demands to be traded
3) The spurs decide whether they want to trade leonard and
a) blow it up (parker signs elsewhere, trade gasol, trade aldridge.
b) keep the rest of the band together and get a star for leonard (butler, pg etc).
In either case I don't see how an offer that mixes young talent with question (10th pick, high pick that has many warning signs and did not perform yet) with role players in mid to late 20's (saric, covington) is appealing.
4) Lebron decides whether he wants to stay or leave Cleveland
B) If Leave, Lebron decides whether he wants to stay east or go west
My thought on this is that Lebron is extremely competitive and wants to be the GOAT. One of the biggest criticisms against him is that he has coasted through an extremely weak eastern conference during his finals streak (partially by weakening the competition when he formed the big 3 in Miami that immediately killed Toronto and Cleveland as playoff teams). With the emergence of the Celtics as a juggernaut (5 players you could easily see being all-stars next season) the East will no longer be easier and he can kill this narrative. I think that is quite appealing for him.
C) Lebron decides to stay east and is ok joining Embiid and Simmons despite hating play with young players his entire career.
Is this possible? i guess, but it is about the equivalent of betting on a 5-7 team parlay with numerous underdogs involves. I don't see us doing these sorts of gymnastics for the wolves, pelicans, jazz etc for 6 perfect moves that could make them a juggernaut.
After a while it just gets silly... .
The LeBron to philly narrative is the single dumbest one I've seen in some time. It literally has been created out of thin air by 6er fans on Twitter and the media for whatever reason has held to it as gospel. It's strange, really.
He isn't going there. It's staying in Cleveland, which gets less likely by the ugly playoff game losing day, or LA to spread his brand, live in his giant mansion, and become a producer and enterpriser.
What ties does he even have to Philly? He's going to play for Bret Brown who just received an extension? And where is the Philly fanaticism coming from? Bc Embiid stayed healthy for literally the first time in 6 years and all of a sudden that's a given from now on? Bc Simmons, who had 0 tape on him, played big in some relatively meaningless games and padded his stats (nice playoff numbers, kid)?
As for the argument that LeBron doesn't mind, or even actually wants to be, playing with young guys - what in his history suggests this? That Kyrie was on the team when he came back to Cleveland is one thing, but he also was THE ONLY ONE OF THREE #1 OVERALL PICKS THAT LEBRON DECIDED COULD STICK AROUND. His final run in Cleveland the first time? Traded all picks and youth for playoff proven vets ala Antoine Jamison. Miami? Wade, Bosh and a roster filled out with the Mike Millers and James Jones of the world. Back to Cleveland? More James Jones, more trading of Waiters for JR Smith, more Kyle Korver.
34 year old Bron is not waiting around hoping that 20 year old Simmons can rebound from being mentally spent on national tv and that 23 year old Embiid can magically start staying healthy for stretches. He wants to chase MJ and his legacy. He wants to become a global brand unto himself (even moreso than he already has). And above all, he wants HIS team, run by HIS people, surrounded by HIS approved guys.