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LeBron James<\/a> is a member of the 76ers<\/a> and there are a number of obvious benefits that come with that. While he\u2019s not a prototypical score-first player, James is the NBA\u2019s all-time scoring leader. And while James is not a prototypical point guard, he\u2019s one of the more talented passers to ever pick up a basketball. The same applies for his ability to rebound, defend, and think the game. <\/p>\n These are known commodities and the expectation is that James will bring immediate punch for the Sixers all over the stat sheet. Those tangible qualities have been on display throughout James\u2019 23-year career and they will likely be present in his time with the Sixers after he signed a two-year, $8 million contract<\/a>. <\/p>\n But the intangibles are what makes James great. He can elevate teammates, serve as a strategist, and demand greatness from every player on the roster. At 41 years old, James is past his physical prime and might not dominate games at the same level he once did. But that doesn\u2019t mean he won\u2019t bring a host of underrated benefits to a Sixers roster chock full of talent. We took a look at five of them. <\/p>\n Leadership<\/p>\n This is typically one of James\u2019 biggest assets. The Sixers are technically a veteran team, with Jaylen Brown<\/a>, Tyrese Maxey<\/a> and Joel Embiid<\/a> all boasting ample postseason experience. But remember these Sixers haven\u2019t won a title since 1983 and haven\u2019t advanced past the second round since 2001. Of course, they look great on paper, but it will take a lot of hard work and hard conversations to mesh four ball-dominant scorers and a rookie hoping to make a second-year leap in VJ Edgecombe<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u00bb READ MORE: David Murphy: LeBron James\u2019 maddening process was everything the Sixers needed<\/a><\/p>\n This is where James\u2019 ability to keep the main thing the main thing, as Jalen Hurts<\/a> would say, comes into play. James steered and steadied the ship with bigger personalities and more dysfunctional rosters. After successfully leading the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat to titles, James will now have a chance to become the first player to win a title with four different franchises.<\/p>\n Late-game strategy<\/p>\n You\u2019ve heard the stories about David Blatt. A rookie coach still soaking up the NBA and American basketball culture, Blatt made the mistake of drawing up a play for J.R. Smith on the 2015 Cavaliers. James famously erased the play, called his own number, and sank a baseline dagger to win Game 4 of their second-round series against the Chicago Bulls. <\/p>\n \u00bb READ MORE: Grading Mike Gansey\u2019s transformational first offseason as Sixers president<\/a><\/p>\n James is famously unselfish and has called the number of other players with the game on the line as well. Former Cavs teammates turned media members like Iman Shumpert and Richard Jefferson have touted James\u2019 ability to prepare his teammates and predict moments when he will need them. <\/p>\n And this is also where the Sixers have lacked direction. Look back at their past playoff losses and you\u2019ll see that they have hung tight with some of the league\u2019s best franchises. Prior to this year\u2019s blowout loss to the New York Knicks, they played them close in the opening round of the 2023-24 playoffs. The same goes for the Celtics, Heat, and Hawks in the three years before that. And then the Raptors defeated the Sixers on Kawhi Leonard\u2019s four-bounce buzzer-beater en route to their 2019 title. <\/p>\n \u00bb READ MORE: David Murphy: A note to LeBron James\u2019 skeptics. And maybe to the Sixers\u2019.<\/a><\/p>\n In each of those losses, execution in the closing moments played a large part in deciding the winner of the series. Whether it was Ben Simmons\u2019 ill-timed pass<\/a> against the Hawks in 2021 or Jayson Tatum\u2019s offensive outburst in 2023, the Sixers found ways to lose. James came to Philly to win a title and he\u2019ll do what he can to help his new team avoid the mental meltdowns that have defined this franchise for the last decade. <\/p>\n Playmaking<\/p>\n James is one of the best passers to ever pick up a basketball. That much was clear when we watched him as a youngster at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School<\/a>. While James is the leading scorer in Ohio high school basketball history, several of James\u2019 most famous highlights as a prep star were passes, which isn\u2019t typical for stars on that level. He\u2019s only sharpened that skill over the last 20 years. <\/p>\n \u00bb READ MORE: LeBron James first played in Philly as a teen and had no interest in seeing the Liberty Bell<\/a><\/p>\n Few teams could use that mastery more than the Sixers. Edgecombe is learning how to set the table on offense. Maxey is still at his best as a score-first guard. He was fifth in scoring last season at 28.3 points per game. Brown was right above him at 28.7 points. In his last healthy season, Embiid averaged 33.1 points and played 66 games in 2022-23, and his dominance is better suited in the paint and at the free throw line extended. James will allow them all to spend more time off the ball to do what they do best.<\/p>\n Joel Embiid insurance<\/p>\n Embiid has played more than 50 games only six times in his career. This is year No. 10. The Sixers\u2019 title hopes have always come with one large caveat: Can Embiid stay healthy? The answer was no for the past three seasons, as Embiid\u2019s availability was complicated by chronic knee injuries and bouts with Bell\u2019s palsy and appendicitis. <\/p>\n \u00bb READ MORE: Marcus Hayes: LeBron James signing with the Sixers could save Joel Embiid\u2019s career<\/a><\/p>\n That reality was the source of the Sixers\u2019 moves to sign Paul George<\/a>, then trade George for Brown. Now the grouping of James, Brown, Maxey, and Edgecombe allows the Sixers to finally enter the season with real championship expectations, whether Embiid\u2019s body holds up or not. To his credit, Embiid has fought to play through every injury. He\u2019s also in the middle of his first healthy summer in quite some time. That\u2019s a good start. <\/p>\n VJ Edgecombe\u2019s maturation<\/p>\n Billed as an uber-athletic defensive specialist, Edgecombe was expected to be a project last season. Then head coach Nick Nurse<\/a> immediately placed Edgecombe in the Sixers starting lineup. Edgecombe stepped up and served as the Sixers\u2019 secondary offensive option when injury and suspension kept Embiid and George sidelined. <\/p>\n