The star-studded Philadelphia 76ers might have a roster for the ages. LeBron James and Joel Embiid are former MVP winners. Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown are recent MVP candidates. This is a collection of talent that is unrivaled across the Association.
It could also be tricky to manage, at least in theory. There are egos to massage, touches to disperse and, of course, only one basketball to go around. Then again, Philly has an in-house hoops savant in James, so these on-paper concerns could be diagnosed and solved before they ever reach the court.
He might not be the best player on this team right now, but he’ll be their best (and most essential) box-checker. Everything from perimeter initiation and creation to small-ball center duties could fall on his shoulders, and he looks ready and willing to handle them. In his preseason debut, he packed 10 points, five assists and four rebounds into just 18 minutes while posting a team-high plus-10 plus/minus.
“The Sixers have lacked high-level passing since (James) Harden’s departure and just added a true basketball genius to quarterback their offense,” Adam Aaronson wrote for PhillyVoice. “Every member of the Sixers will score many easy baskets as a result of James’ otherworldly processing.”
James’ vision emboldened teammates to race up the floor for hit-ahead transition looks or cut into open spaces in the half-court. His creativity helped grease the offense’s gears for something-out-of-nothing scores. His selective assertiveness helped him make his only field-goal attempt and all eight of his free throws, too.
It was subtly spectacular, which is our (ridiculously) early favorite for the theme of James’ season at large. His teammates will post bigger numbers and probably spark more viral fires, but his impact and importance will be the greatest of the group.