July 03, 2026
Bill Streicher/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Could LeBron James really join the Sixers?
Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul confirmed on the Friday morning edition of his podcast, "Game Over," that the Sixers have earned 22-time All-Star LeBron James' attention as the NBA's all-time leading scorer deliberates about which team will be his next.
Asked about James' potential landing spots by co-host Max Kellerman, Paul presented a whiteboard with 10 teams represented in some form. Five teams – the Sixers, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers – had four members of starting lineups listed, with "LeBron" in the middle and arrows pointed to where he would slot into each lineup.
The first thing Paul said upon unveiling the board: "Philadelphia... everything changed."
Presumably, Paul intended to imply that the Sixers' acquisition of five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown earlier this week – teaming the 2024 NBA Finals MVP with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe – has made the team a more appealing destination for the 41-year-old James.
Kellerman replied: "Do they have his attention, as [ESPN's Brian] Windhorst is reporting?"
Paul answered: "How could you not have the attention when you have Maxey/Edgecombe/Brown/Embiid?"
Paul also represents Maxey, one of Klutch Sports' highest-caliber clients. Maxey and James have a strong relationship and speak glowingly of each other. Of all of the players listed on Paul's board, one had a star next to their name: Maxey.
"He loves Maxey," Paul said to Kellerman, "so we don't even have to talk about that."
Paul elaborated about how James can help Edgecombe, entering his sophomore season, continue to learn the game. He called the Sixers "Maxey's team." On multiple occasions, he commented about the importance of "health and habits" when it came to Embiid.
"That [team] by itself doesn't necessarily work," Kellerman told Paul. "But if you add the right guy – LeBron James is the one guy who might be able to unlock that and get that to be a team."
"He enhances everything there," Paul replied. "He unlocks everything there."
On today's "Game Over," Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul walked Max Kellerman through a whiteboard mapping out LeBron James' potential landing spots.
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) July 3, 2026
The first team Paul talked about: the Sixers, acknowledging they have James' attention. "Everything changed," he said.
Full video: pic.twitter.com/Bkq2Jy2eW9
