Many teams in the East will be gunning for a Finals berth, and perhaps no team has more riding on their shoulders now than the Philadelphia 76ers.
It wouldn’t be far fetched to call this new-look 76ers a “superteam.” They already had a quality foundation in place with Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid — but perhaps not quite cut out to be considered a true title contender.
Well, Philly got right to work this summer to help bolster their footing in that regard, adding Jaylen Brown, several free agents to bolster their bench depth, and of course — the LeBron James revelation.
Speaking of LeBron’s upcoming journey with the 76ers, several reports have surfaced this offseason, including from ESPN's resident NBA insider Shams Charania, indicating that Philadelphia has some interesting plans for the 41-year-old all-time great. It is expected that LeBron James will "play a good amount of time at the point guard position,” serving as the primary initiator and playmaker for the rest of Philly's star-studded lineup.
Now, James’ footprint as one of the most versatile players in NBA history is no secret. The Bron can slot in anywhere from the one to the five, with a notable run as Point Bron during the Lakers' championship triumph in 2019-20. In fact, it was "King James" who lived up to that moniker at the 2019-20 season's end, leading the entire league in assists at a career-best 10.2 dishes per game.
Raptors have their own answer to secret weapon LeBron James strategy... Scottie Barnes
His dynamic skillset is hard to match, but Raptors fans have been delighted to see Scottie Barnes mirror such prowess. Perhaps not to the exact degree, but Scottie B. has flashed glimpses of that LeBron-esque versatility. Barnes is largely the driving force behind the Raptors' defense; however, he is also expected to play a key role in scoring, securing rebounds, and showcasing his playmaking abilities.
Barnes' natural position is, of course, at the forward spots. But, we've also seen the 24-year-old Raptors cornerstone log minutes as Five-Man Scottie or Center Scottie, this past season when Jakob Poeltl was on the shelf due to injury. Even more notably, Barnes has made some noise playing as Point Scottie, where he's taken on the primary ball-handler role for Toronto.
"Point Scottie" has caught the eye of Raptors fans for a myriad of reasons
This daring strategy has been both praised and debated. On one hand, you can leverage Barnes' status as an elite utility player, using his size, length, and playmaking ability to add a unique element to the lineup. On the other hand, if we're considering slotting Barnes into a full-time or extended point guard role, concerns arise about his ability to maintain tight handles and excel efficiently in the half-court setting.
Additionally, as previously discussed here on Raptors Rapture, taking on a primary playmaker role can also curb Barnes’ element of aggression — both offensively and defensively. That said, we are likely entering a new chapter of Raptors basketball, with the expected arrival of Kawhi Leonard once the trade hold-up is settled. This will provide Barnes with another reliable option to shoulder the load if needed, and open a new layer to the Point Scottie experiment.
The Sixers are going to be right there in the tight pocket of East squads looking to chase title glory, and their bold LeBron get only made them look like even more threatening. Their plan to run LeBron at the one, despite getting up there in age and NBA miles, is a strategy that has yielded championship results in years past — so it's only worth trying to see what success it can bring once again.
However, the Sixers can’t forget there’s another hungry squad out East, eager for their crown jewel Kawhi Leonard to officially return, along with a versatile, positionless powerhouse in Scottie Barnes who can also run the floor in advantageous situations. I have no doubt that when the Raptors face the 76ers (whether in the regular season or the playoffs) and LeBron is running point, Barnes will step up to that same challenge.
That’s the perfect moment to showcase his ability to counter Philly’s x factor and steal some of the luster for themselves.
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