West exec: Sixers simply offered LeBron James ‘best chance’ to win

LeBron James had plenty of options. In the end, one NBA executive believes his decision came down to something fairly simple: The 76ers gave him the best chance to win.

“This was the best chance for him to win amongst the teams he was considering,” a Western Conference executive told Andrew Greif and Rohan Nadkarni of NBC News.

That doesn’t mean Philadelphia was the expected choice. Far from it.

NBC News spoke with at least four people who work in the NBA who described their initial reaction to James choosing the Sixers as a surprise. One agent responded to the news with nothing more than a mind-blown emoji.

“I would definitely say surprised,” a front-office executive who had been in contact with James’ agent, Rich Paul, told NBC.

The Cavaliers, Heat and Warriors had generated considerably more attention throughout James’ nearly month-long free agency. Philadelphia, though, offered quite a collection of talent.

James now joins Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe, with the Sixers’ acquisition of Brown apparently strengthening their case considerably.

One executive pointed specifically to Maxey and Brown as two “young engines” on the perimeter, along with Embiid, whom he described as a game-changer when healthy.

There was also plenty of recruiting going on behind the scenes. Bob Myers publicly pitched Philadelphia during an appearance on Paul’s podcast, while the Sixers registered their interest directly with James’ camp.

Now comes the basketball part. James, 41, averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season and is expected to slide into a loaded Philadelphia lineup without having to carry the same offensive burden he has throughout much of his career.

Of course, not everyone around the NBA enjoyed waiting for him to make up his mind.

NBC News reported that frustration had been building as James’ free agency dragged on and other business around the league remained on hold. One Western Conference executive said James had “hijacked the summer.” Another described the mood around the league as “annoyed.”

But now, well, the waiting is over. James picked Philadelphia. According to at least one executive, the reason wasn’t complicated.

Of all the teams on his list, the Sixers gave him the best chance to win.

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