That’ll do it, folks. One of the offseason’s biggest questions and a weeks-long delay that has kept many on their toes has finally been answered.
LeBron James is not returning to the O-H, nor will he be running it back in South Beach, but he does return to the Eastern Conference. The team in question? The Philadelphia 76ers.
This morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania dropped the bombshell we’ve been waiting for, as he announced that James would be signing a two-year, $8 million deal (with a player option) to join Philly.
The 76ers have kept busy this offseason, with their biggest move up to this point being the Jaylen Brown trade stunner earlier this month. In the draft, they snagged Labaron Philon Jr., who the Raptors had an opportunity to select but they opted for Allen Graves instead. In more modest roster moves, the Sixers were also able to secure Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, and Ariel Hukporti in free agency.
But, the LeBron James signing is certainly Philly’s icing on the cake.
Now, that wraps up one summer saga, but tying things back to the Raptors — this massive LeBron news certainly has high stakes for them also. For one, it bolsters what was already likely to be a heated East foe this upcoming year. Though, if you haven’t already caught my drift, you have to wonder what the implications of this hazy Kawhi Leonard situation looks like for Toronto moving forward.
LeBron James joining the 76ers puts Raptors' Kawhi trade in the hot seat
While the Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration investigation winds down and approaches a definitive conclusion, the widespread belief remains that the agreed upon Raptors-Clippers deal, which first broke on June 30, will go through as planned. But there is certainly a feeling of being on red alert with the Kawhi trade nonetheless in light of this LeBron bombshell.
With or without the Kawhi deal in play, the Toronto Raptors have to be looking at LeBron’s return to the East with some level of concern. Old age and all, LeBron James joining any team will still make them the darling of basketball headlines and certainly in the running for title contention. The 76ers were already building momentum there with the Jaylen Brown move, and despite some concerns around fit and the cohesion of such star power — you can't deny they'll be a favorite next year.
I still firmly believe in the Raptors’ bold pursuit of Kawhi Leonard and that it will pay off, but LeBron James’s summer decision has been a lingering thought on my mind — one that could pose a challenge to Toronto’s high aspirations (Cleveland was the team on my mind at first, though)
Toronto has to be sure they can come out of this Kawhi Leonard trade pause on top, and not in a precarious position. The teams around them in the East, besides Philly, have already been making moves to improve for next season. Even when the Kawhi deal finally goes through, those red alert signals won’t likely be turned off, seeing as the roster in Toronto is far from complete upon his arrival. Figuring out upgrades at point guard, center depth concerns (particularly Jakob Poeltl), or pinpointing the specialist shooters moving forward are going to be key questions still at hand.
For the 76ers and their fans, this news is likely the highlight of their summer. As for the Toronto Raptors and their passionate fanbase, it adds another layer to an already peculiar Kawhi Leonard situation amidst a rising Eastern Conference landscape.
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