Sixers Notes: LeBron, Embiid, Nurse, Pay Cut, Reactions To Signing - Hoops Rumors

What the report says

Hoops Rumors reported that the Philadelphia 76ers aggressively recruited LeBron James in free agency, with the site citing reporting from Tony Jones of The Athletic that Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown were key voices in maintaining contact. Head coach Nick Nurse also joined the effort, and ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Nurse was the only head coach to speak directly with James during his decision process.

According to the Hoops Rumors roundup, Philadelphia’s roster construction helped persuade James to choose the Sixers as a title contender. The report says James agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal that includes a player option for the second season, despite the possibility that he could have earned more elsewhere. HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina noted that James made $52.63 million with the Lakers last season and characterized the new contract as the largest pay cut in NBA history.

The report also highlighted the stakes for both James and Philadelphia. James, nearing his 42nd birthday, was said to be coming off a season in which he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists over 60 games. Embiid’s health was framed as central to the pitch, with Hoops Rumors citing Jones’ report that Embiid told James he would work to be available more consistently after playing limited games in recent seasons.

Reaction around the league was mixed. Hoops Rumors cited reporting from The Ringer that some rival executives questioned whether Philadelphia’s star-heavy roster has enough role players and whether its high-usage players can successfully share responsibilities.