The Philadelphia 76ers announced the signing of the NBA all-time leading scorer LeBron James on Tuesday. After losing 4-0 in the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the New York Knicks, the signing of a four-time NBA champion aims to add valuable experience to a franchise who have not won an NBA title since 1983.
Following the acquisition of Jaylen Brown in a trade with the Boston Celtics, the Sixers have gained an even stronger core with 36 All-Star appearances between the roster. Accumulating 22 of these appearances, the 41-year-old will add experience, leadership and an exceptional average of 20.9 points per game.
The Sixers' strength in depth
The 76ers roster contains a fantastic shooting ability, with four players averaging over 20 points per game. Combining for an average of 99.9 points per game in the 2025/26 season, Philadelphia look to pose a huge threat to opponents in the upcoming season.
Whilst the scoring statistics look promising, an area in which the Sixers may look to improve is their defence after ranking 16th in the defensive ratings last year.
However, Nick Nurse's side look to be bolstered further after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope agreed to a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies, as he plans to sign a one-year deal worth $3.9 million, as per Shams Charania.
Reuniting with James after winning the 2020 NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers, Caldwell-Pope will add strength to both ends of the floor. Looking to bring an end to a 43-year championship drought, their hopes of a title will depend on whether the Sixers can consistently stop strong offences from their opposition.
Competition for the NBA Championship
Whilst the Sixers may be considered one of the favourites for the NBA Championship, they will face fierce competition from many franchises for this title. Reigning champions New York Knicks will look to add a second title in as many years, led by Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, who played arguably their best basketball in the post season.
However, the team with the best record last campaign was the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will be desperate to turn a 64-18 record into some hardware this season. With a roster that contains the reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they also had the greatest points differential of +11.1 points.
Spurs eye another step forward
After narrowly missing out on the championship last season, the San Antonio Spurs come into this season as the defending Western Conference champions, containing a blend of both youth and experience.
Led by Victor Wembanyama and De-Aaron Fox, Mitch Johnson will look to take his team one step further, with the momentum in the final shifting after blowing a 29-point lead in game four against the Knicks.
