Philadelphia 76ers president Mike Gansey believes LeBron James’ ability to impact every part of an organization will make him a natural fit in Philadelphia, while pointing to James’ previous chemistry with Joel Embiid as a reason for optimism.
“LeBron’s a connector. That’s the one thing about him. He fits every role you possibly can. He’s gonna elevate everyone in the whole building,” Gansey said when discussing James’ expected role with the 76ers.
Philadelphia added James during a major offseason reshaping that also included acquiring Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics, creating a star-heavy core around James, Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The 76ers entered the offseason after finishing 45-37 in the 2025-26 regular season and reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals before being swept by the New York Knicks.
Gansey believes James and Embiid already showed signs of being effective together before becoming NBA teammates. He referenced their time together with Team USA during the Olympics when asked about how the two stars could share the court.
“When LeBron was maybe a possibility, I went back and watched some of the Olympic tape with him and LeBron. Those two played pretty well together,” Gansey said. “We have so many different options. Any given night anyone can be the guy. So I think once we get clicking and get gelling, it’s gonna be fun to watch.”
The pairing gives Philadelphia two of the league’s most accomplished offensive players. James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2025-26 season while shooting 51.5% from the field. At age 41, he earned another All-Star selection and continued to operate as a primary playmaker.
Embiid averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 38 games last season, shooting 48.9% from the field and 85.4% from the free-throw line. His availability remains the central question after playing fewer than 40 games in each of the last three seasons because of ongoing knee issues.
James’ ability to create shots and facilitate could reduce some of the offensive burden on Embiid, while Embiid’s interior scoring and post presence could provide James with another elite target. The 76ers also have Maxey, who averaged 28.3 points and 6.6 assists in 70 games last season, giving the team multiple high-level creators.
Philadelphia’s new roster construction puts significant pressure on chemistry and health. The team moved Paul George to Boston in the Brown trade and committed major financial resources to its new core, leaving limited flexibility for additional roster upgrades.
Gansey emphasized that the challenge will be finding balance among several stars who are capable of leading the offense.
“Any given night anyone can be the guy,” Gansey said. “Once we get clicking and get gelling, it’s gonna be fun to watch.”
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The 76ers will enter the 2026-27 season with expectations centered on how quickly James, Embiid, Brown and Maxey can develop into a cohesive group capable of competing at the top of the Eastern Conference.
