LeBron James is officially a Sixer, an outcome that not many saw coming just a few months ago. Philly went from middle of the pack to one of the championship favorites overnight. The James signing and the Jaylen Brown trade has put all eyes on the city of brotherly love.
The Sixers will be the most talked about team in the NBA this year, not only because of their star power, but they haven’t won a title since 1983. They haven’t made an NBA Finals since 2001.
During the Joel Embiid era, all Philly has done is come up short. The phrase “Trust the Process” is going on year 13. And with James now in the fold, he made one thing clear.
LeBron James chose the Sixers because he wants to win a championship
And he will accept nothing less. During his media day availability, James said that he didn’t switch coasts and leave his family just to lose in the second round. He chose Philly because he believes that the team gives him his best shot at a championship.
That quote was a message to the entire team. That quote was a message to the front office. That quote was a message to ownership. And the Sixers haven’t had anyone with James’ pedigree be teammates with Tyrese Maxey or Joel Embiid.
Philly backed up the brinks truck this summer to get back to the top of the East. On paper, they arguably have the most talent out of anyone in the league. However, the game isn’t won on paper, it’s won on the court.
Whenever the Sixers have had expectations, they have faltered. In 2019, they lost in the second round with Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, and Embiid. In 2021, they blew a huge Game 7 lead to the Hawks and got eliminated. In 2023 and 2024, they got bounced early in the playoffs.
James has won multiple championships and has been deep into the playoffs for basically the entirety of his career. He knows what it takes. He may be turning 42 years old at the end of this year, but he has shown he has a lot left to give.
The time is now for the Sixers. There are no excuses. They have the stars. They have the depth. They have all they need for a championship. The Process is going to end one way or another and if it’s not a championship, then it is a failure.