Features
LeBron James Joins Joel Embiid in Philly: Are The 76ers Now the Best Bet to Win the NBA Title?
by Chike Nwoye
31 Jul 2026
For the first time in a long time, the Philadelphia 76ers are no longer asking whether Joel Embiid has enough help.
That question has followed this franchise for years. Who is the second star? Can Tyrese Maxey become a true co-star? Can Philadelphia survive the Eastern Conference? And, most importantly, can Embiid stay healthy long enough for the Sixers to mount a genuine championship run?
Well, the Sixers answered those questions in the most dramatic way possible.
First, they traded Paul George and two first-round picks to the Boston Celtics for Jaylen Brown. Then, weeks later, they convinced 41-year-old LeBron James to sign a two-year, $8 million deal and make Philadelphia his fourth NBA home.
The result: a starting five of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James and Joel Embiid. That’s a ridiculous collection capable of dominating basketball games with ease. On paper, at least.
So, are the Sixers now the favourites to win it all? The short answer: not quite.
For the first time in a long time, the Philadelphia 76ers are no longer asking whether Joel Embiid has enough help.
That question has followed this franchise for years. Who is the second star? Can Tyrese Maxey become a true co-star? Can Philadelphia survive the Eastern Conference? And, most importantly, can Embiid stay healthy long enough for the Sixers to mount a genuine championship run?
Well, the Sixers answered those questions in the most dramatic way possible.
First, they traded Paul George and two first-round picks to the Boston Celtics for Jaylen Brown. Then, weeks later, they convinced 41-year-old LeBron James to sign a two-year, $8 million deal and make Philadelphia his fourth NBA home.
The result: a starting five of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James and Joel Embiid. That’s a ridiculous collection capable of dominating basketball games with ease. On paper, at least.
So, are the Sixers now the favourites to win it all? The short answer: not quite.
Why LeBron James Chose Philadelphia as His New NBA Home
There were more romantic options available to LeBron once he announced the end of his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. Cleveland offered a homecoming - an opportunity to end his career where he started it. Golden State offered one a run with Steph Curry after both players teamed up for Gold at the 2024 Olympics. Miami offered another homecoming, this time with the scary frontcourt of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. And then there was Minnesota who offered him a chance to help bring a Championship to a franchise that had never even been in the finals.
But Philadelphia offered something more valuable than nostalgia and hope: the best combination of immediate championship potential and flexibility.
The Warriors are aging and injury prone. The Cavaliers have a complicated backcourt fit. The Heat still have questions around their supporting cast. And the T-Wolves’ frontcourt wasn’t exactly appealing.
On the other hand, the Sixers already had Embiid, an ascending Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe - a genuine future star after a strong rookie season. Then they added Jaylen Brown, a player just two years removed from being named finals MVP after winning the championship with the Celtics. Then they added… LeBron James.
It is also worth noting that, in each of his last eight seasons in the Eastern Conference, LeBron James went to the finals. Yup, an unprecedented eight straight finals with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. If there’s one man that knows how to win in the East, it’s the King and Philly got him for just $8m over two years.
That is why Philadelphia have become the favourite to come out of the Eastern Conference. Before James, the Sixers were dangerous but full of questions. After James, those questions were replaced by one: Can they figure out how to fit all this talent together?
Why LeBron James Chose Philadelphia as His New NBA Home
There were more romantic options available to LeBron once he announced the end of his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. Cleveland offered a homecoming - an opportunity to end his career where he started it. Golden State offered one a run with Steph Curry after both players teamed up for Gold at the 2024 Olympics. Miami offered another homecoming, this time with the scary frontcourt of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. And then there was Minnesota who offered him a chance to help bring a Championship to a franchise that had never even been in the finals.
But Philadelphia offered something more valuable than nostalgia and hope: the best combination of immediate championship potential and flexibility.
The Warriors are aging and injury prone. The Cavaliers have a complicated backcourt fit. The Heat still have questions around their supporting cast. And the T-Wolves’ frontcourt wasn’t exactly appealing.
On the other hand, the Sixers already had Embiid, an ascending Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe - a genuine future star after a strong rookie season. Then they added Jaylen Brown, a player just two years removed from being named finals MVP after winning the championship with the Celtics. Then they added… LeBron James.
It is also worth noting that, in each of his last eight seasons in the Eastern Conference, LeBron James went to the finals. Yup, an unprecedented eight straight finals with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. If there’s one man that knows how to win in the East, it’s the King and Philly got him for just $8m over two years.
That is why Philadelphia have become the favourite to come out of the Eastern Conference. Before James, the Sixers were dangerous but full of questions. After James, those questions were replaced by one: Can they figure out how to fit all this talent together?
The Jaylen Brown Question and How It Could Affect The Sixers’ NBA Title Hopes
This is where things get particularly interesting.
Jaylen Brown spent much of last season proving he could be the best player on a championship-calibre team. With Jayson Tatum sidelined, Brown was the Celtics’ primary offensive option and received legitimate MVP consideration. He was the man. And he wanted more. One of the reasons the Celtics chose to let go of him was an upcoming salary extension which would see him demand $75m a year. They weren’t prepared to pay that. But another reason was that Brown had tasted what it felt like to be the #1 option on the team and he wanted more of that. He was no longer comfortable being the Robin to Jayson Tatum’s Batman. Now, he could be the third or fourth offensive option on his new team.
Brown will have to share the ball with Maxey, Embiid and James, while Edgecombe will want an expanded role in his second season. There are easily four players who could reasonably expect heavy offensive involvement. That’s a lot of chefs in one kitchen.
The good news is that LeBron James has already shown he can adapt. Last season with the Lakers, he eventually settled into a complementary role behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, averaging 20.9 points, 6 rebounds and 7.2 assists. He doesn’t need to be Philadelphia’s leading scorer. The Sixers may actually be better if he isn’t.
The Lakers finished sixth in the NBA in playoff assists per game. Philadelphia, by contrast, finished 29th in the regular season in assists - a glaring weakness LeBron fixes immediately. As a point forward, he can create open looks for Brown and Maxey while feeding Embiid in positions where the big man does maximum damage without having to manufacture his own shot.
For those making basketball predictions, the smart angle is that the market may initially overestimate individual scoring totals. There are only so many shots available. Jaylen Brown’s average could dip. Maxey’s usage will fall. LeBron could post his lowest scoring season in years. That doesn’t mean the Sixers are worse - better offensive efficiency could make them significantly stronger even as individual numbers shrink.
The “Embiid’s Health” Variable Is Everything
There is one question hanging over the entire Sixers project: Joel Embiid’s health.
Philadelphia has built a roster that can absorb injuries to almost everyone. Say Brown misses time, Maxey and LeBron can carry the load. If Maxey goes down, Brown and James can create. If LeBron misses time, the team still has two All-NBA players and an exciting young wing.
But Embiid is different. Philadelphia has played just 57 games with him over the past two seasons. His health is the single biggest variable in every Sixers season. I mean, just this past playoff, he was healthy for five games in the Celtics seven-game series - enough for the Sixers to overturn a 3-1 deficit and record their first playoff win against Boston in 44 years. Then his health problems popped up the next week and they got swept by eventual champions, the Knicks. Those weeks perfectly captured the importance of his health to this team.
The good news is that this roster finally allows Philadelphia to manage him properly, especially during the Regular Season. There is no reason for Embiid to play 35 minutes a night in January. No reason to chase a regular-season MVP narrative at the expense of his body. The Sixers should be thinking about April. Maybe even May.
LeBron, at 41, understands the importance of preserving energy for the postseason better than almost anyone in the history of basketball. Not only does Philadelphia now have enough talent to win without Embiid - a luxury they have rarely had, they have the perfect spokesman on the art staying healthy. If they secure a high seed while keeping Embiid around 50 games, that should be considered a success. The goal is not 65 regular-season wins. It’s having Embiid healthy when the Knicks or Cavaliers are waiting in the playoffs.
How Do the Sixers Compare With the Other Contenders?
Philadelphia may have the most talented starting five in the Eastern Conference. Maybe in the entire league. But the Knicks remain the team to beat - they are the defending champions with the continuity advantage. Their players already know how to win together. The Sixers, on the other hand, are still theoretical.
In the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder set the gold standard, combining elite talent, youth, depth and continuity. The San Antonio Spurs are another rising powerhouse with a terrifying ceiling having just beaten OKC to reach the finals a few months ago.
A healthy Sixers starting five can match almost anyone: Maxey brings speed. Edgecombe brings athleticism and defence. Brown brings physicality and two-way scoring. LeBron brings playmaking and championship experience. Embiid brings dominance in the middle.
The problem is basketball is not played on paper. Both Embiid and LeBron are no longer the athletes they were at their peaks. There are defensive questions. And there is the late-game hierarchy question - when the Sixers need a basket with 30 seconds left, who gets the ball? Figuring that out will be part of the process.
So Are the Sixers the NBA Title Favourites?
The best odds say so, after all we are in an era of parity that has seen eight different champions in the last eight years. Who’s to say that streak won’t stretch to nine and what better team than the Sixers to be the ninth?
I would not make them the outright favourites just yet though. The Knicks deserve that status as reigning champions with genuine continuity.
The Thunder and Spurs may be more reliable across a full season, but Philadelphia may have the highest ceiling of any team in the NBA. They’re not necessarily the most likely team to win the championship - they might be the team most capable of beating anyone when everything clicks. And that makes them incredibly dangerous in the online sports betting market.
The smart play may not be to immediately chase Philadelphia’s championship odds. The market has already adjusted dramatically, and their price may be shorter than their actual probability of winning the title. Instead, value may emerge in specific matchups. If the Sixers enter the playoffs healthy, their size, shot creation and experience could make them extremely difficult to deal with over seven games.
The team may also become more attractive as the season progresses. If Philadelphia starts slowly while adjusting to the new hierarchy, the market could overreact. That creates opportunities for patient bettors. Because the best version of this team may not arrive in October. It may arrive in March. Or April. Or, if everything goes perfectly, June.
Is the Process Finally Complete?
The original Philadelphia Process was built around collecting assets in the hope of one day assembling a championship team. It produced Embiid. It produced Ben Simmons. They produced frustration. The Process produced playoff heartbreak and years of questions about whether the Sixers had built the right roster around its superstar.
Now they’ve gone in a completely different direction. They’ve stopped waiting. They traded for Brown. They signed LeBron. They are betting that the time to win is now.
There is no guarantee this works. Embiid could get injured (again). LeBron could suddenly look 42 when the playoffs come around. Brown’s ego could struggle with his reduced role. The team could discover that five-star talent doesn’t automatically produce five-star chemistry.
But Philadelphia has given itself something it has rarely possessed during the Embiid era: genuine margin for error. They don’t need everything to go perfectly. They just need enough of it to go right.
Are they the favourites? Not yet. But if you are looking for the team with the biggest gap between its current price and its absolute ceiling, the Philadelphia 76ers may be the most fascinating team in basketball. The Process may not be complete. But for the first time in years, it looks like Philadelphia has finally found the shortcut to the finish line.
The Jaylen Brown Question and How It Could Affect The Sixers’ NBA Title Hopes
This is where things get particularly interesting.
Jaylen Brown spent much of last season proving he could be the best player on a championship-calibre team. With Jayson Tatum sidelined, Brown was the Celtics’ primary offensive option and received legitimate MVP consideration. He was the man. And he wanted more. One of the reasons the Celtics chose to let go of him was an upcoming salary extension which would see him demand $75m a year. They weren’t prepared to pay that. But another reason was that Brown had tasted what it felt like to be the #1 option on the team and he wanted more of that. He was no longer comfortable being the Robin to Jayson Tatum’s Batman. Now, he could be the third or fourth offensive option on his new team.
Brown will have to share the ball with Maxey, Embiid and James, while Edgecombe will want an expanded role in his second season. There are easily four players who could reasonably expect heavy offensive involvement. That’s a lot of chefs in one kitchen.
The good news is that LeBron James has already shown he can adapt. Last season with the Lakers, he eventually settled into a complementary role behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, averaging 20.9 points, 6 rebounds and 7.2 assists. He doesn’t need to be Philadelphia’s leading scorer. The Sixers may actually be better if he isn’t.
The Lakers finished sixth in the NBA in playoff assists per game. Philadelphia, by contrast, finished 29th in the regular season in assists - a glaring weakness LeBron fixes immediately. As a point forward, he can create open looks for Brown and Maxey while feeding Embiid in positions where the big man does maximum damage without having to manufacture his own shot.
For those making basketball predictions, the smart angle is that the market may initially overestimate individual scoring totals. There are only so many shots available. Jaylen Brown’s average could dip. Maxey’s usage will fall. LeBron could post his lowest scoring season in years. That doesn’t mean the Sixers are worse - better offensive efficiency could make them significantly stronger even as individual numbers shrink.
The “Embiid’s Health” Variable Is Everything
There is one question hanging over the entire Sixers project: Joel Embiid’s health.
Philadelphia has built a roster that can absorb injuries to almost everyone. Say Brown misses time, Maxey and LeBron can carry the load. If Maxey goes down, Brown and James can create. If LeBron misses time, the team still has two All-NBA players and an exciting young wing.
But Embiid is different. Philadelphia has played just 57 games with him over the past two seasons. His health is the single biggest variable in every Sixers season. I mean, just this past playoff, he was healthy for five games in the Celtics seven-game series - enough for the Sixers to overturn a 3-1 deficit and record their first playoff win against Boston in 44 years. Then his health problems popped up the next week and they got swept by eventual champions, the Knicks. Those weeks perfectly captured the importance of his health to this team.
The good news is that this roster finally allows Philadelphia to manage him properly, especially during the Regular Season. There is no reason for Embiid to play 35 minutes a night in January. No reason to chase a regular-season MVP narrative at the expense of his body. The Sixers should be thinking about April. Maybe even May.
LeBron, at 41, understands the importance of preserving energy for the postseason better than almost anyone in the history of basketball. Not only does Philadelphia now have enough talent to win without Embiid - a luxury they have rarely had, they have the perfect spokesman on the art staying healthy. If they secure a high seed while keeping Embiid around 50 games, that should be considered a success. The goal is not 65 regular-season wins. It’s having Embiid healthy when the Knicks or Cavaliers are waiting in the playoffs.
How Do the Sixers Compare With the Other Contenders?
Philadelphia may have the most talented starting five in the Eastern Conference. Maybe in the entire league. But the Knicks remain the team to beat - they are the defending champions with the continuity advantage. Their players already know how to win together. The Sixers, on the other hand, are still theoretical.
In the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder set the gold standard, combining elite talent, youth, depth and continuity. The San Antonio Spurs are another rising powerhouse with a terrifying ceiling having just beaten OKC to reach the finals a few months ago.
A healthy Sixers starting five can match almost anyone: Maxey brings speed. Edgecombe brings athleticism and defence. Brown brings physicality and two-way scoring. LeBron brings playmaking and championship experience. Embiid brings dominance in the middle.
The problem is basketball is not played on paper. Both Embiid and LeBron are no longer the athletes they were at their peaks. There are defensive questions. And there is the late-game hierarchy question - when the Sixers need a basket with 30 seconds left, who gets the ball? Figuring that out will be part of the process.
So Are the Sixers the NBA Title Favourites?
The best odds say so, after all we are in an era of parity that has seen eight different champions in the last eight years. Who’s to say that streak won’t stretch to nine and what better team than the Sixers to be the ninth?
I would not make them the outright favourites just yet though. The Knicks deserve that status as reigning champions with genuine continuity.
The Thunder and Spurs may be more reliable across a full season, but Philadelphia may have the highest ceiling of any team in the NBA. They’re not necessarily the most likely team to win the championship - they might be the team most capable of beating anyone when everything clicks. And that makes them incredibly dangerous in the online sports betting market.
The smart play may not be to immediately chase Philadelphia’s championship odds. The market has already adjusted dramatically, and their price may be shorter than their actual probability of winning the title. Instead, value may emerge in specific matchups. If the Sixers enter the playoffs healthy, their size, shot creation and experience could make them extremely difficult to deal with over seven games.
The team may also become more attractive as the season progresses. If Philadelphia starts slowly while adjusting to the new hierarchy, the market could overreact. That creates opportunities for patient bettors. Because the best version of this team may not arrive in October. It may arrive in March. Or April. Or, if everything goes perfectly, June.
Is the Process Finally Complete?
The original Philadelphia Process was built around collecting assets in the hope of one day assembling a championship team. It produced Embiid. It produced Ben Simmons. They produced frustration. The Process produced playoff heartbreak and years of questions about whether the Sixers had built the right roster around its superstar.
Now they’ve gone in a completely different direction. They’ve stopped waiting. They traded for Brown. They signed LeBron. They are betting that the time to win is now.
There is no guarantee this works. Embiid could get injured (again). LeBron could suddenly look 42 when the playoffs come around. Brown’s ego could struggle with his reduced role. The team could discover that five-star talent doesn’t automatically produce five-star chemistry.
But Philadelphia has given itself something it has rarely possessed during the Embiid era: genuine margin for error. They don’t need everything to go perfectly. They just need enough of it to go right.
Are they the favourites? Not yet. But if you are looking for the team with the biggest gap between its current price and its absolute ceiling, the Philadelphia 76ers may be the most fascinating team in basketball. The Process may not be complete. But for the first time in years, it looks like Philadelphia has finally found the shortcut to the finish line.