Rich Paul has confirmed that LeBron James did not entertain the idea of joining the Philadelphia 76ers until after the team completed a blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown. The revelation came Wednesday on Paul's podcast, "Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul."
James, now a member of the 76ers, had been linked to several other teams including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Golden State Warriors. However, the four-time league MVP ultimately chose Philadelphia, a decision heavily influenced by the acquisition of the two-time All-NBA guard from the Boston Celtics.
"Max, if you would have heard our conversations one day before the trade and then two days after the trade, those conversations couldn't have been further apart," Paul said on the podcast. "There wasn't even radar on Philly in that case."
The trade, which occurred on July 1, sent Brown to the 76ers in exchange for veteran wing Paul George, two first-round draft picks (2028 and 2031), and two second-round picks (2028 and 2030). Brown is coming off a career-best season where he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, earning All-NBA Second Team honors.
Key Analysis
The 76ers' roster now features Brown alongside All-NBA Third Team guard Tyrese Maxey, 2023 league MVP Joel Embiid, and rookie guard VJ Edgecombe. Despite this talent, Philadelphia finished the 2025-26 season with a 45-37 record and needed the Play-In Tournament to secure the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. The team overcame a 3-1 first-round playoff deficit against the Celtics, thanks largely to Embiid's return from injury, but were swept by the eventual champion New York Knicks in the second round.
According to Paul, the 76ers had not previously expressed interest in James because they doubted the possibility. However, after the Brown trade, conversations shifted toward how the team could compete for a championship. James himself cited his pursuit of another title as the driving force behind his decision, writing on X: "I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship."
Originally reported by westhawaiitoday.