ESPN revealed a full list of NBA predictions, and among them is the idea that LeBron James will average a career-low in points in Year One with the 76ers.
It’s not necessarily a wild take, given that he tied his career-low at 20.9 ppg in 60 games with the Lakers last season. Last time he did that? Try 2003-04, his rookie year with the Cavaliers.
He’s also joining a Sixers team with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and second-year man VJ Edgecombe. All of those guys are capable of averaging 20-plus.
On top of all that, James will be 42 in December. So his role in Philadelphia is more likely to be that of a facilitator than a highlight-reel scoring machine. (Though, without a doubt, there will be times he reminds you he was once LeBron James.)
“After averaging 30.3 points per game in the 2021-22 season — the second-best mark of his career, at age 37 — James’ scoring average has dropped four years in a row,” ESPN’s Zach Kram wrote. “And the biggest drop of the bunch came last season, when James lost 3.5 points per game, from 24.4 to 20.9, tied for his career worst. At the same time, he posted a career-low 27% usage rate last season.”
In other words, James could very well fall below the 20-points-per-game threshold. And that’s OK. That’s clearly not why he chose the Sixers. Our guess is he’ll gladly manage his workload and average 16 or 17 a night if it means another ring.
Related | LeBron reacts to Cavs’ Peyton Watson trade
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