Woj: Lakers no longer a slam dunk for Lebron, Sixers are the team to watch **Update currently meeting with sixers**

[DusterBuster]

@TheSteinLine
Among the Sixers' planned top selling points to LeBron James' agent Rich Paul today: Philly believes it still has a real chance to win the Kawhi Leonard trade sweepstakes, league sources say

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"Win" means there's an auction. Buford licking his chops right now

Seriously. I'll be shocked if he doesn't end up with a truckload of assets at this point.

[GeorgeMarcus]

This should be a no brainer for Philly. If you have the opportunity to get LeBron by trading Covington, Saric, Fultz, and that Miami pick for Kawhi, you do it. Simmons/Kawhi/LeBron/Embiid has a legitimate chance to win titles for years to come. People get too caught up in not wanting to trade their young guys so they can let the team grow organically and develop together but don't realize just how hard it is to win a championship in the NBA. Simmons, Embiid, and Philly's young core will certainly be a force in the East for years to come, but there's no assurance they'll be better than Boston or be able to take out whoever comes out of the West. You're not throwing away the future here. Kawhi is 27. Simmons and Embiid are 21 and 24. LeBron is older at 33 but he's coming off one of the best seasons of his career end to end and has the work ethic and durability to be better later in his career than pretty much anyone else in history. And Philly still has Zhaire, Shamet, and future picks.

If they pass on getting two top 5 players just so they can keep their current construction intact they'll regret it.

Boston fans right now:

Not really. I think it would just force us to outbid Philly which would be pretty easy if we added Jaylen Brown and the Sac pick.

"Added" to what? They were already part of the package Ainge proposed.

[pipfan]

Even if Philly just adds LBJ (let's say subtracting Bayless for a future 1st)-they are the best team

Simmons
Covington
LBJ
Saric
Embiid

With a bench of Fultz, TLC, Holmes, Anderson, and PLENTY of ring chasers. I assume Reddick would want to come back as well

[B_Creamy]

Lmao Lebron saw that Paul George resigns with the thunder so now Philly is back in the mix. It’s obvious what Lebron is doing, he wants to play on whoever gets Kawhi between LA and Philly. If neither get him then he will have a really hard decision to make since Philly is way ahead of Lakers in being contenders right now. Lebron wants to play on the team that is most stacked in the end between the two franchises.

We got a regular Sherlock Holmes here

[Sixerscan]

To sign LeBron they need to renounce the rights to Reddick. He isn’t an option.

Market's getting tight. If he's just getting regular MLE offers he might be willing to take a little less for a year for the room exception then he gets a longer deal next year with his early birds.

If not they can look into someone like Ellington.

The MLE is close to $10 million. Why not go to a team like Boston or Houston for MLE at $10 million. Or Golden State for the tax-payers MLE for $6 million.

Because, he can start for the Sixers, he can commute with his family in Brooklyn, he had a good experience last year, they can give him a nonbirds contract next year. Also they overpaid him last year maybe with the understanding that something like this would happen.

Not saying it will happen or anything but I could see him giving up a few million for all that.

[damedash09]

Not sure his wife is willing to live in Philadelphia

Will prolly be a long chat with his family

[GregB]

Boston fans right now:

Not really. I think it would just force us to outbid Philly which would be pretty easy if we added Jaylen Brown and the Sac pick.

"Added" to what? They were already part of the package Ainge proposed.

No all reports are we have offered Rozier, Morris and the Sac pick but have been unwilling to offer Jaylen Brown.

[Guest202]

Read on Twitter

[NBA Moses]

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"Win" means there's an auction. Buford licking his chops right now

Seriously. I'll be shocked if he doesn't end up with a truckload of assets at this point.

Sixers assets in order imo are

Markelle Fultz
Dario Saric
TJ McConnell
Jonah Bolden
(Miami #1 pick unprotected 2021) Trade made on draft night with Kawhi trade in mind)
(Zhaire Smith- This years #1 pick)" "
Sixer Future #1 picks
Richaun Holmes
Rob Covington


They would be fools not do whatever it takes to trade for Kawhi if it means landing Lebron in free agency.

[DusterBuster]

"Win" means there's an auction. Buford licking his chops right now

Seriously. I'll be shocked if he doesn't end up with a truckload of assets at this point.

Sixers assets in order imo are

Markelle Fultz
Dario Saric
TJ McConnell
Jonah Bolden
Miami #1 pick unprotected 2021
Zhaire Smith
Sixer Future #1 picks
Richaun Holmes
Rob Covington


They would be fools not do whatever it takes to trade for Kawhi if it means landing Lebron in free agency.

There's a few pieces in there we can disagree on being "assets", but with Fultz, Saric, Holmes, Covignton and those picks, there's plenty of pieces there that can compete with a Lakers offer. The pieces are at least on par with what LA can offer, so I think it would just depend on what the Spurs prefer prospect wise.

[Teal25]

Lol, who actually thought Lebron was leaving the pathetic east for the west?

[Chinook]

Not really. I think it would just force us to outbid Philly which would be pretty easy if we added Jaylen Brown and the Sac pick.

I'm not sure that wins anymore. I'm not even sure it ever did, but Philly getting that MIA pick definitely makes them more compelling than before. Brown might be better than Fultz (I know you're going to scoff but it's eye-of-the-beholder right now), and the SAC pick may be better than the MIA pick (much closer), but then you have the rest of Philly's package, including two forwards who can complete their starting lineup. Even if Boston wins one value (and I'm not sure they do), they don't win on fit anymore.

[GeorgeMarcus]

Not really. I think it would just force us to outbid Philly which would be pretty easy if we added Jaylen Brown and the Sac pick.

"Added" to what? They were already part of the package Ainge proposed.

No all reports are we have offered Rozier, Morris and the Sac pick but have been unwilling to offer Jaylen Brown.

Ainge offered Rozier/Morris/Sac pick for Kawhi?

[Guest202]

Lol, who actually thought Lebron was leaving the pathetic east for the west?

I think CP3 and PG were tipped the Lakers thing was not happening.

[GregB]

Not really. I think it would just force us to outbid Philly which would be pretty easy if we added Jaylen Brown and the Sac pick.

I'm not sure that wins anymore. I'm not even sure it ever did, but Philly getting that MIA pick definitely makes them more compelling than before. Brown might be better than Fultz (I know you're going to scoff but it's eye-of-the-beholder right now), and the SAC pick may be better than the MIA pick (much closer), but then you have the rest of Philly's package, including two forwards who can complete their starting lineup. Even if Boston wins one value (and I'm not sure they do), they don't win on fit anymore.

Rozier is a much better fit next to Murray with his ability to play on and off the ball than Fultz. Morris is a solid.

I will agree to disagree. But a Celtics package with those those assets would seem to outbid Philly pretty easily. That’s not even factoring in potential sign and trade scenarios for Marcus Smart.

[Sixerscan]

Not really. I think it would just force us to outbid Philly which would be pretty easy if we added Jaylen Brown and the Sac pick.

"Added" to what? They were already part of the package Ainge proposed.

No all reports are we have offered Rozier, Morris and the Sac pick but have been unwilling to offer Jaylen Brown.

With all their wings I'm not sure why Boston would be that into Kawhi with his injuries and flight risk. Maybe they'll bluff an offer or something but I think they're most interested in waiting for someone like AD or Towns to become available.

[GregB]

"Added" to what? They were already part of the package Ainge proposed.

No all reports are we have offered Rozier, Morris and the Sac pick but have been unwilling to offer Jaylen Brown.

With all their wings I'm not sure why Boston would be that into Kawhi with his injuries and flight risk. Maybe they'll bluff an offer or something but I think they're most interested in waiting for someone like AD or Towns to become available.

I agree with the assessment. But I also think the Celtics don’t want Philly to get Kawhi either which could force their hand. Maybe seeing PG resign in OKC gives them more confidence to make a deal without any guarantees from Kawhis camp.

Ultimately I still think Kawhi and Lebron goto LA but we shall see.

[Chinook]

Not really. I think it would just force us to outbid Philly which would be pretty easy if we added Jaylen Brown and the Sac pick.

I'm not sure that wins anymore. I'm not even sure it ever did, but Philly getting that MIA pick definitely makes them more compelling than before. Brown might be better than Fultz (I know you're going to scoff but it's eye-of-the-beholder right now), and the SAC pick may be better than the MIA pick (much closer), but then you have the rest of Philly's package, including two forwards who can complete their starting lineup. Even if Boston wins one value (and I'm not sure they do), they don't win on fit anymore.

Rozier is a much better fit next to Murray with his ability to play on and off the ball than Fultz. Morris is a solid.

I will agree to disagree. But a Celtics package with those those assets would seem to outbid Philly pretty easily. That’s not even factoring in potential sign and trade scenarios for Marcus Smart.

Rozier has no place in this trade. That's even more true after SA drafted another guard and signed on in free agency (and had Danny opt in). Getting a high-upside guy with the size to defend three positions is one thing, but an expiring with Rozier was never going to be the guy.

And did you just try to bring in Smart? I know everyone has their own opinions, but packages built around Rozier and Smart just don't... I mean I'd rather have Kuzma...

[GregB]

I'm not sure that wins anymore. I'm not even sure it ever did, but Philly getting that MIA pick definitely makes them more compelling than before. Brown might be better than Fultz (I know you're going to scoff but it's eye-of-the-beholder right now), and the SAC pick may be better than the MIA pick (much closer), but then you have the rest of Philly's package, including two forwards who can complete their starting lineup. Even if Boston wins one value (and I'm not sure they do), they don't win on fit anymore.

Rozier is a much better fit next to Murray with his ability to play on and off the ball than Fultz. Morris is a solid.

I will agree to disagree. But a Celtics package with those those assets would seem to outbid Philly pretty easily. That’s not even factoring in potential sign and trade scenarios for Marcus Smart.

Rozier has no place in this trade. That's even more true after SA drafted another guard and signed on in free agency (and had Danny opt in). Getting a high-upside guy with the size to defend three positions is one thing, but an expiring with Rozier was never going to be the guy.

And did you just try to bring in Smart? I know everyone has their own opinions, but packages built around Rozier and Smart just don't... I mean I'd rather have Kuzma...

You feelings on Rozier and Smart are similar to how I feel about RoCo and Saric. Covington is basically the Philly version of Jae Crowder. Saric is solid but similar to Rozier is expecting to get paid. Neither of those guys are future all stars in the making.

But Jaylen Brown/Sac pick and Memphis pick >>>> Fultz and Miami pick.

You are right that it only matters what San Antonio thinks. But based off their history of drafting Smart and tough players that can shoot. Does Fultz really strike you as someone they would highly value based on that history? I don’t see any scenario where they value Fultz close to a player like Jaylen Brown.

[phraoh]

I think Lakers front office already has been told they are out of the Lebron race. Lebron's agents have told Philly if they trade for Leonard by Tuesday noon (could be any time on Tuesday) Lebron will sign with them. If not, he will be going back to Cleveland.