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7 biggest winners and losers from LeBron James joining the 76ers

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7 biggest winners and losers from LeBron James joining the 76ers

Editor’s note: Get live updates on LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers here.

It took 24 days, but LeBron James has made up his mind.

After informing the Lakers in late June that he would be moving on from the franchise, James announced Friday, July 24 that he will sign with the Philadelphia 76ers to form a super team in the East, as James looks to win his fifth career NBA championship.

This comes after weeks of speculation about where James would land. James was deliberate in his process and weighed his options, deciding between the Sixers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Although James will turn 42 in December, this is nonetheless a massive, power-shifting move with significant ramifications across the league.

Here are the winners and losers of LeBron James’ decision to sign with the 76ers.

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Look back at LeBron James’ iconic Lakers moments

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) reacts after scoring a basket during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Dec 28, 2021.

(Troy Taormina, Imagn Images)

WINNERS

Mike Gansey, Bob Myers and the revamped 76ers front office

Consider this: not even two months ago, the 76ers fired former basketball czar Daryl Morey after the Knicks unceremoniously swept Philadelphia in the conference semifinals. Since then, Bob Myers, the president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and former general manager of the Warriors, hired Mike Gansey as the president of basketball operations.

All Gansey has done is flip the cumbersome contract of Paul George for Jaylen Brown, a 29 year old five-time All-Star, and lure James to Philadelphia. Gansey has extensive ties to James and the Cavaliers. Suddenly, with the 76ers he has shaped one of the more imposing starting fives in all of basketball.

Tyrese Maxey

Also a Klutch Sports Group client, the same agency that reps James, 76ers star Tyrese Maxey has had a tremendous offseason. Not only did he get a massive relief valve on offense in the form of Jaylen Brown, but now with James, Philly has another playmaking ball-handler, and another player with championship experience. Maxey was among the players involved in pitching the 76ers to James, and the 25-year-old two-time All-Star is now poised to break out even further.

At times over the last two seasons, he has had to carry a massive offensive burden, especially since the 76ers have dealt with numerous injuries. Now, there’s a lot less pressure on Maxey to carry the Sixers to contention.

LeBron James

He took his time, deliberately weighed his options and came to a decision on his own terms. And while many people — NBA commissioner Adam Silver, included — may have chafed at the 24-day timeline, James ultimately decided this was best for his family and for his career.

James also joins a team where he doesn’t need to be the focal point and can be a complementary player. Given his age and declining availability, that’s essential. The loaded 76ers roster also means James won’t need to overexert himself during the grind of the regular season, maintaining his freshness for the postseason.

Nick Nurse

There will be a lot of mouths to feed, so it’s incumbent on coach Nick Nurse to scheme a system that highlights everyone’s strengths, but James’ passing and creation should assimilate nicely.

This, to be sure, is a good problem to have. But if expectations aren’t met, the letdown would be massive; the Sixers, like the Knicks before them, are looking to snap a multi-decade championship drought. Philadelphia’s is currently at 43 years. Now it’s on Nurse to end that.

LOSERS

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors

It has been a rough go for the Warriors, who were looking to add elite playmaking to capitalize on the shrinking window the franchise has with Stephen Curry. Arguably no player in the NBA bore more responsibility for his team being in contention than Curry, who is now 38.

Golden State lost out on the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes and now on James, who has been a longtime friend and admirer of Curry and veteran Warriors forward Draymond Green. James certainly would have made this roster even older, but Golden State has desperately lacked another playmaking creator to pair alongside Curry, who is one of the hardest-working players in the league. Curry constantly moves off the ball to try to create space but is also tasked with creating off the dribble. Golden State’s hopes now rest on Curry sustaining that pace and Jimmy Butler, 36, eventually returning to form after his torn anterior cruciate ligament from January 20.

The Miami Heat still need another playmaker

It’s not so bad of a letdown when you already nabbed the premier move of the offseason. And Giannis Antetokounmpo will make Miami far better than it has been. But pairing James with Antetokounmpo would’ve given the Heat the two best fastbreak players of the modern generation — if not all time.

Heat point guard Davion Mitchell recently worked out with Antetokounmpo in Greece, and Mitchell did post a pristine 4.19 assist-to-turnover ratio, but Miami could still use another ball handler and creator. And now with the market essentially dried up, options are limited.

Boston Celtics

They weren’t even in the James sweepstakes, but this decision nonetheless reinforces Boston’s downturn this offseason. James signing with the Sixers, at least at a significant basketball level, happened because the 76ers have infused young talent onto their roster. And no name was bigger than Jaylen Brown, whom Philadelphia acquired July 1 in a deal with Boston.

The Sixers, even without James, were already looking like a legitimate competitor in the East. Now with him, the 76ers have become among the short favorites to win the conference, just behind the defending champion Knicks. It’s not a stretch to say that James doesn’t sign in Philadelphia if Brown isn’t traded there.

Making matters worse, the Celtics are fresh off of blowing a 3-1 series lead in the first round of the playoffs. The team that beat Boston was these very 76ers. And, as it stands now, the Sixers got far better and the Celtics went backward.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 7 biggest winners and losers from LeBron James joining the 76ers

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