With the current trade market shaping up to be a risky one to gamble on for the Philadelphia 76ers, the odds of the front office opting for a more docile approach has increased. After all, the franchise has the resources to instead resort to free agency as the primary means to bolster the roster and bring it closer to a championship.

That being said, certain players in the NBA are rarely available and usually deemed untouchable. That includes those who are truly considered as bona fide 1A guys — Hall-of-Fame bound players who have proven they can be the main linchpin on numerous title teams. One of them is Lakers forward LeBron James, who’s widely considered to be one of the best to ever lace it up.

Can the 76ers knock on the Lakers’ door for LeBron James?

James has always been the biggest shifter of the NBA’s landscape, as seen in his stints in Cleveland and Miami. With Los Angeles, things are no different, though he hasn’t been nearly successful with the Lakers even though he won a title in 2020.

As of writing, the Lakers have posted a 19-20 record which has them in a deadlock for 10th place in teh Western Conference. That’s a meager win-loss card considering the amount of talent on the roster, the fact that they are just coming off a WCF appearance, and the consensus belief that the franchise had one of the most productive offseasons in the entire association.

So, while LeBron has never been traded, that possibility could start looming. Should the 76ers knock on LA’s ample yet sturdy doors for a shot at pitching an offer for the King?

Analyst proposes 76ers-Lakers trade involving LeBron James

Bill Simmons of The Ringer, on a podcast with fellow analyst Howard Beck, recently hypothesized about the possibility of the Lakers making a hard reset given their uninspiring play this season. While both admitted that a trade initiated by LA would be unlikely, things would be much different if LeBron James himself takes matters into his own hands and tries to find a way out of Hollywood.

Among the teams Simmons pointed at as viable landing spots for the 19-time All-Star is Philadelphia. He laid out a way for the 76ers to strike a deal for him, with the team giving up a package around Tobias Harris, salary-matching players, and multiple first-round picks in return.

Harris, who’s on an expiring deal this season, has long been considered expendable. The 76ers have a set pecking order offensively, and while the veteran forward has fared just fine on the tertiary, his contract situation gives the front office a lot fo legroom to work their way into high-profile trade candidates.

In addition, the 76ers have a slew of other expiring deals to make the money work, in addition to significant draft compensation they could possibly hedge against other potential buyers, although that would require the Lakers to fully go all-in on a reboot.

Anyway, should Philly go all-in on James should he become available?

Should the 76ers go all-in on a potential LeBron James trade?

Winning a championship takes utmost primacy in the entire operations circuit of the Philadelphia 76ers franchise. Having last won the title more than four decades ago, the urge has never been stronger for the franchise to break out of its lengthy drought.

Truth be told, the 76ers remain unfavored to even make the Conference Finals. While Joel Embiid is playing like a superhuman and Tyrese Maxey has been one of the best second-in-commands in the league, the competition has never been stronger. Boston seems like the team to beat. Milwaukee remains potent after a retooling. Denver, the defending champions, has the best player on the planet.

That being said, should the 76ers somehow land LeBron James, they should have a much better bid to come out on top. A tremendous floor-raiser and ceiling-raiser, the four-time NBA champion has the poise and exprience this team needs to get over the hump. Even if many consider him to be a shell of his former self, the drop-off hasn’t really been significant. He’s still quite easily an All-NBA caliber player and a borderline MVP candidate at best.

The best thing about James donning a 76ers uniform is him seamless fit on the roster. He’ll be a drastic upgrade over Tobias Harris as a scorer and would instantly rise as the best passer on the team, which is actually an area of improvement for Philly.

Ultimately, a trade of the sorts should be a no-brainer and any elongated speech is unnecessary. Even if it costs the 76ers their entire crest of draft picks, trading for someone who will probably go down as the best player to ever grace the hardwood is worth it. After all, it gives them the best chance at winning the chip.

However, does this proposal really make sense for the Lakers?

Should the Lakers reset and trade James to the 76ers?

Naturally, the 76ers would and should have zero qualms about opening their door for LeBron James. However, what possible justification could there be for the Lakers to give up on their James-AD core and rebuild when they don’t have the draft capital to create the necessary wiggle room to intentionall bottom out?

In all reality, the most tactful move for Los Angeles to return to contention is to simply retool the roster on the margins and surround their superstar duo with, well, players that do fit the team and not the spotlight. The Lakers’ front office has been incredibly hit-and-miss on their team-building endeavors since winning the championship four years ago — and that should be the biggest point of emphasis for the league’s most decorated franchise.

Realistically speaking, the 76ers absolutely do not have the most appealing package possible for LeBron. Saying otherwise would be disingenuous. Tobias Harris, salary fillers, and first-round picks that are very unlikely to be near the lottery can only get you so far. And James isn’t the caliber of player you should and will be getting with spare assets.

Even if the Lakers operate in the extremes, they are far more likely to exhaust all options to make win-now moves and ameliorate the roster to bolster their title bid. But of course, crazier things have happened in this league, and we have already seen LeBron get tired of front office before. Should he eventually grow exasperated of LA, the 76ers should come calling for his services and push everything to be in front of what should be a very long queue.

Just don’t come out with this offer. It’s too underwhelming that it’s almost a sacrilege to someone of his caliber.