The Philadelphia 76ers were not exactly an unprecedented landing spot for LeBron James. After all, the team was long rumored as a potential destination for the megastar. That being said, his decision to come to Philly still ended up surprising a lot of people, so much so that longtime analyst Bill Simmons hinted that he was supposed to go back to the Cavaliers, and that something must have happened along the way to change that.
In a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons stated that James was poised to return to Cleveland after choosing not to go back to the Lakers. With LeBron signing with the 76ers instead, the analyst opined that something happened that led to him spurning the Cavaliers, adding that he cannot wait for the story to come out.
Bill Simmons says LeBron was supposed to choose Cavaliers over 76ers
For now, there is nothing that can corroborate what Simmons was hinting at. Be that as it may, his allegation is not exactly coming out of thin air. As everyone knows, James has a special connection to Cleveland.
LeBron was drafted by the Cavaliers more than two decades ago, returning there in 2014 and eventually leading them to a historic first championship in 2016. As such, given the rich history between Cleveland and The King, it is not far-fetched to pencil the franchise in as a favorite to woo LeBron as a free agent.
A lot of people floated the Cavaliers and the Heat as the more likely destinations for James given his familiarity with both franchises. That is precisely why him going to the 76ers still ended up shocking many. In fact, it is even more surprising that according to reports, the Warriors –– and not those teams –– were the other real finalists to sign the superstar.
Simmons may be hinting at some cryptic element that played into James's decision to choose the 76ers over other bidders, including a couple of his former teams. But nevertheless, the truth of the matter is that LeBron himself acknowledged that Philly has a core good enough to make a deep playoff run. With James now with the franchise, the championship should be well within their reach.
The Philadelphia 76ers will aim to lord over the league next season –– an ambitious goal that now seems more realistic thanks to LeBron James. Their other contemporaries will stand on their way, but The King arms them with one of the most battle-tested performers in the postseason. Both him and the team are a dream fit for each other, and that is something even Bill Simmons' proposition cannot dispute.
