LeBron Explains His 76ers Move — And Embiid Is a Big Part of It
James, coming off a 41.4 FPTS/G 2025-26, named Maxey, the Brown trade and getting Embiid his first ring as his three reasons for picking Philly.
Only 38 games in 2025-26, but +5.1 FPTS over last 5 and a title-hungry supporting cast.
- LeBron: 20.9 pts, 7.2 ast, 41.4 FPTS/G in 60 GP (2025-26)
- Embiid played just 38 games last season (2025-26)
- Brown averaged 45.2 FPTS/G across 71 GP (2025-26)
- Sixers title drought dates to 1983
- LeBron ranks #23 overall, #9 at position in our model
LeBron James finally put words to the summer's biggest move. Ahead of what's shaping up to be the most-watched media day of 2026 in Philadelphia, James used an episode of his Mind the Game podcast to lay out three reasons he chose the 76ers over a Cavaliers or Heat reunion: his relationship with Tyrese Maxey, the Jaylen Brown trade, and a stated desire to hand Joel Embiid his first championship. He's coming off a 20.9-point, 7.2-assist 2025-26 that produced 41.4 fantasy points per game (actual), good for #23 in our overall rankings.
James said Maxey was one of the first people to call once he told the Lakers he wasn't returning, and framed their bond as something that goes beyond basketball. The Brown deal — Philly flipping Paul George for Brown — is what turned the Sixers from an idea into a real landing spot in James' telling. He admitted he didn't see that trade coming, and it gave him a lineup he could genuinely picture winning a fifth title with.
The most revealing part was Embiid. James said the big man has done everything in the league except win a ring, and he wants to be the final piece that helps him get over the hump. He spoke about knowing what it's like to carry a city, and about teaching Embiid the day-to-day grind a deep playoff run demands.
What It Means for the Rotation
On paper this is one of the scariest starting fives in the league: Maxey, Brown, Embiid, VJ Edgecombe and James. That's also a lot of usage to divide. Brown put up a monster 28.7 points and 45.2 fantasy points per game across 71 games in 2025-26 (actual), and Embiid averaged 44.5 in his 38 appearances. James, meanwhile, is trending up — his last five games of last season ran +7.9 fantasy points above his own average.
The obvious flag is volume. Four ball-dominant scorers plus a rookie means someone's counting stats take a hit, and James at 41 has never been shy about load management. Embiid's health remains the whole ballgame — 38 games last year tells you everything — but James' pitch is essentially that he can help keep the big man fresher for spring.
The Fantasy Angle
Embiid is the name to target. When healthy, he's a top-two center in our model (#11 overall), and his last five games of 2025-26 came in +5.1 fantasy points above his season line. Draft him at a slight discount because of the availability risk, then let the new-look Sixers do the rest.
For James himself, temper the ceiling slightly — his usage will dip in a stacked lineup, so treat him as a steady #9-at-position play rather than a return-to-2018 bet. Brown is the safest weekly start of the three thanks to durability. Buy low on Embiid, hold Brown, and manage expectations on LeBron's raw scoring.
