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Time for Another LeBron James and Philadelphia 76ers Check-in
By Matt Schultz
Published:
LeBron James still hasn’t chosen a team to play for next season, and chatter around the impending decision has only gotten louder. With free agency into its third week, let’s check in on the latest news and rumors on where LeBron could play next:
Sounds Like Even LeBron is Unsure Where He’s Going Next
RICH PAUL: “None of these people know anything. Nobody knows nothing. And I say that respectfully because we haven’t made it to where anybody knows anything… It’s important for people to understand, we’re not making this about attention and a spectacle. It’s not about a decision or anything like that. He has a choice to make. He has a business choice to make. We’re not gonna sit here and decide or allow someone else to decide when he makes that decision or that choice. It’s a business choice that he’s making and I think as an athlete – why is it that an athlete has to rush his choice? Because from a business a perspective, you’re making a choice between jobs – high-level jobs – and you have the – and you’ve earned the right, you’re a big time executive with an unbelievable – arguably the best resume in the history of your job – who’s rushing you? Nobody.”
Rich Paul is very good at saying a whole lot of nothing. The hell’s he talking about? His point doesn’t even make sense. I guess he’s talking about Adam Silver pressuring LeBron to hurry up and pick a team, and how Rich is annoyed by that? Wrong take! LeBron should have to hurry up! Adam has to make the NBA schedule! This isn’t a regular job, Rich. It is different than a regular job, no matter how long you wanna talk in circles around it. Also, there are time limits on accepting job offers in regular jobs, too. You can’t just take as long as you want. Other people exist and have stuff to get done. Let’s keep it moving. Tell LeBron to decide so we don’t have to keep listening to you ramble on podcasts.
Sounds Like LeBron Is Not Making His Decision Today (Tuesday)
DAVE MCMENAMIN: “I’ve been told from a source, ‘Nothing happening today.’ And as Rich Paul stated in the podcast on Monday evening, LeBron doesn’t know. Rich Paul doesn’t know. And people around the league – including Commissioner Adam Silver – are trying to put pressure on the James camp to make a decision.”
Guess this thing’s gonna keep on going for a while. Wonder how long it’ll be. How many of these check-in blogs can I write? I think this is my third. Can I reach ten? Twenty? How many other ways could I format these? All interesting questions on everyone’s mind today.
Rich Paul Weirdly Shit on the Sixers’ Trust The Process Era
MAX KELLERMAN: “He was talking at Fanatics about the alignment of philosophies, where their model became trust the process, and he (LeBron) believes in that mentality.”
RICH PAUL: “Yes.”
MAX KELLERMAN: “But when he (LeBron) says that, he must be aware that he is raising the hopes of the city (Philly)…“
RICH PAUL: “That’s a negative thing. That’s not a positive thing. Trust the process wasn’t a positive thing for a organization. That was the worst thing you could do for a organization.”
MAX KELLERMAN: “But the concept of trusting the process –“
RICH PAUL: “No. That’s not – no. That’s – again, this is where you don’t have the information. That doesn’t make sense. Trust the process was a negative thing. It was the worst thing you could do for an organization.“
MAX KELLERMAN: “Intentionally be uncompetitive for years.“
RICH PAUL: “Where’s the value in that?“
Rich Paul is weird as hell. Just rambling in non-sequiturs about nonsense. Sounds like my grandmom trying to tell a story and then clearly forgetting halfway through what she’s talking about and then getting louder and saying increasingly wild stuff just to keep everyone’s attention on her. Except it’s kind of funny when she does it because she is old and she is my grandmom. Rich Paul is neither of those things. Just some annoying guy we all have to listen to sometimes.
Brian Windhorst Says LeBron May Be Tempted to Go Outside the Norm
“I do think that LeBron has some level of, you know, temptation to go outside the norm here. In other words, it would be layup to go to Cleveland, and if he picks Cleveland, I think he won’t have to do any explaining. I do think he’s investigated Philly, and I do think, um, he has looked into The Process, so to speak.”
Now we’re talking. This is what’s up. Windy gets it. Rich Paul doesn’t get it, but Windy is our guy. I like his take here. It makes sense to me. LeBron should want to do something weird. Throw us a curveball. A big fun zag. This’ll probably be his last chance to take a wild swing in his career. Do the exciting thing. Come to Philly.
What Does The Market Say?
Believe it or not, I still like the Sixers bet here! Kalshi has Philly at 13% to land LeBron, down a bit over the last few days. That only makes the value better. A $1 bet wins you $7.84, and considering the Sixers are still being mentioned in the mix with Cleveland and Miami — who are both north of 30% — Philly is the best bet on the board.
This has been a good LeBron check-in. Let’s do it again soon. Got a feeling this could drag on for a while.
Matt Schultz is a comedy and sports writer from Philadelphia. He’s written extensively for ClickHole, The Onion, and Conan O’Brien’s Team Coco. His work has been featured in Vulture, Deadspin, The A.V. Club, Paste Magazine, and other publications. Much of his sports journalism can be found on college basketball websites that don’t exist anymore (PhilaHoops Heads rise up…) email: M.Schultz@sportradar.com