Donovan Mitchell Admits He Never Saw LeBron Landing in Philadelphia
Mitchell figured LeBron (41.4 FPTS/G in 2025-26) would finish in Cleveland or Golden State. Instead he's a Sixer — and a conference roadblock.
New Philly role plus a hot close to last season make him a value at ADP.
- LeBron: 20.9 pts, 7.2 ast, 41.4 FPTS/G in 2025-26
- James trending up: +7.9 FPTS over last 5 games
- Mitchell: 44.4 FPTS/G, our #12 overall (2025-26)
- Cavs open at Philadelphia in under a month
- Simons off the bench: 14.3 pts, 21.5 FPTS/G in 2025-26
Donovan Mitchell says he was just as blindsided as everyone else when LeBron James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. Asked about the move, Mitchell admitted he knew about as much as the public did — which, apparently, was nothing. This is a guy who talks to LeBron, and he still didn't have a read on it.
Mitchell figured James would either come home to Cleveland, where his career started, or land in Golden State if the Cavs weren't the pick. Philadelphia never crossed his mind. Instead, LeBron — coming off a 20.9-point, 7.2-assist, 41.4 fantasy-point-per-game 2025-26 season — is now suiting up for a team that stands directly between Cleveland and the Finals.
Former Cavs GM Mike Gansey reshaped the Sixers roster in a matter of weeks, and the result is a legitimate conference contender. Mitchell rattled off the talent stacked in Philly: Jalen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Joel Embiid, and Anfernee Simons coming off the bench. His takeaway was blunt — they've gotten stronger, they're a fierce opponent, and he's excited for it.
Why This Matters for Your Draft
LeBron's fantasy value is the story fantasy managers should actually care about here. He finished last season as our No. 23 overall player (No. 9 at forward) and, critically, he was heating up — up 7.9 fantasy points over his final five games versus his season average in 2025-26. A move to a stacked Philly lineup could shave his usage, but LeBron in a lower-mileage, playoff-primed role is exactly the kind of late-career profile that ages well over 82 games.
The wildcard is fit. With Maxey, Embiid, Brown and Edgecombe all needing touches, someone eats. Simons is already projected as bench scoring — he averaged 14.3 points and 21.5 fantasy points per game in 2025-26 as our No. 189 overall — so the pecking order will squeeze the margins. LeBron's assist volume should hold, but don't expect the raw scoring ceiling of his Lakers years.
For fantasy purposes: buy low on LeBron if his ADP has slipped on age and role concerns — a rested, motivated version on a contender is a steal near his No. 23 finish. Mitchell, meanwhile, stays a rock-solid first-round hold at No. 12 overall and 44.4 FPTS/G, even with a slight -3.1 dip over his last five games. The Cavs-Sixers opener in under a month is your first real look at both.
