How LeBron’s Next Move Could Impact the Sixers

By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)

NBA free agency is in full swing and the rumors are flying fast as everyone waits to see where the current crop of available superstars decide to ply their trade for the next few seasons. More than anyone, all eyes are on LeBron James as he decides whether to return to Miami to make a run at a 5th straight Finals appearance, or break up the original ‘Big Three’ and take his talents to location-as-yet-unknown.

The latest rumor out there is one to which Sixers fans should sit up and take notice. No, LeBron didn’t see Nerlens Noel’s 19-point performance in Summer League and think relocating his family to the Main Line was the best choice for him. However, James is apparently strongly considering a return to Cleveland, a move that those in Philadelphia should welcome for reasons beyond the humor in seeing Cavs fans who moved his jersey welcome LeBron back with open arms.

In order to sign James to his desired max contract, the Cavaliers would have to shed the 2-year, $12.6 million contract of Jarrett Jack. Brooklyn has interest in Jack, a player who struggled to mesh with the young backcourt in Cleveland, but would still be a valuable piece for a veteran squad like the Nets. However, apparently during one of his recent heli-skiing adventures, Brooklyn owner Mikhail Prokhorov decided that throwing endless amounts of money at a team and taking a huge financial loss wasn’t the best way to go. So the Nets would be looking to unload Marcus Thornton, making $8.7 million in the last year of his deal, if they acquire Jack. Enter the Sixers.

Since taking over as GM, Sam Hinkie has wisely kept the Sixers’ salary cap books clean, avoiding the signing of mid-level free agents who wouldn’t be a part of any eventual contender the team puts out there anyway. There are two main benefits to having all of that available cap space. First, you have the flexibility to bring on a superstar at a max level deal should the opportunity arise. Then, more relevant to the current situation, you can take on unwanted contracts in exchange for receiving valuable assets in return, whether in the form of draft picks or intriguing young prospects. The Sixers would be in a prime position to take on Thornton and receive a first-rounder somewhere down the road from either Cleveland or Brooklyn.

LeBron James going to Cleveland would also trigger a domino effect, with the first piece to fall being Chris Bosh. The Rockets have offered Chris Bosh a 4-year, $88 million deal, a deal Bosh would likely take if his first choice of staying in Miami to play with LeBron falls apart. To free up the salary cap space to accommodate Bosh, Houston would like to move Jeremy Lin and get the $8.4 million he would count against the cap off the books. Again, the Sixers would be a natural landing spot in such a deal not only because the team has the cap space to take on another contract, but due to the strong working relationship between Houston GM Daryl Morey and Sam Hinkie. In return for taking on Lin, the Sixers could receive the New Orleans first round pick the Rockets just obtained as part of the Omer Asik deal. Currently, the Pelicans’ 2015 pick goes to Houston if it falls between the 4th and 19th spots in the draft, with protections for future years still not disclosed at this time.

So there you have it, the Sixers have placed themselves in a position to accrue a couple extra first round picks simply by abstaining from signing the Nick Young’s and Kwame Brown’s of the world. Will any of this actually go down? Who knows. But through smart management, Sam Hinkie and the Sixers have placed themselves in a situation the take advantage of these types of scenarios should they arise. So root for LeBron to make his Cleveland homecoming and dream of the day when the Sixers land that superstar of their own.