LeBron James finally got his first taste of life with the 76ers.
His initial assessment? Give it some time.
James made his Philadelphia preseason debut Thursday in a 114-108 loss to the Nets, finishing with 10 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal in 18 first-half minutes.
“We’re still trying to put each other in the position to be successful and complement each other the best way we can on the floor,” James said, via BBC Sport. “But it’s going to take some time.”
That’s probably inevitable given just how different Philadelphia looks.
James started alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe, giving the Sixers their first real look at a lineup featuring several players accustomed to having the ball and creating offense.
it wasn’t always smooth. Still, James came away encouraged.
“Tonight was a good sample size for us to build on,” he said.
At 41, James is entering his record-extending 24th NBA season and his first with Philadelphia after eight years with the Lakers. He joined the Sixers during the offseason as part of one of the league’s biggest roster overhauls.
James has won championships with Miami, Cleveland and Los Angeles. The Sixers, meanwhile, are trying to win their first title since 1983.
Nobody expects all of this to look seamless in early October. James certainly doesn’t.
But for one half, the Sixers at least got their first glimpse of what their new superteam might eventually become.
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