NBA legend LeBron James held up the NBA world as his free agency decision dragged on for three weeks, as suitors lined up to sign the former Los Angeles Lakers star. On Friday, James shocked the sporting world when he opted to join the Philadelphia 76ers over suitors like the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Miami Heat.
Analyst Compares LeBron James’ 76ers Move to Tom Brady’s Bucs Switch
During Friday’s segment of the “Colin Cowherd” podcast, Cowherd compared James’ 76ers move to Tom Brady leaving the New England Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“This move by LeBron feels like Brady to Tampa,” Cowherd said. “This is not KD (Kevin Durant) to the Warriors. I mean, the Sixers haven’t won an Eastern Conference championship in like 25 years. I think only the Hornets and the Wizards have had longer droughts. This is not ring chasing, it’s Tampa Brady.
“Brady’s like, ‘Okay. I’ve got a defensive head coach, we don’t draft receivers well. I need wide receivers, a head coach with an offensive sensibility. Maybe I go to a little weaker division so I can stack some wins in my final couple of years.’ LeBron similarly.”
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In 2020, Brady similarly shocked the country when he ended his 20-year association with the New England Patriots to sign with the Buccaneers on a fully guaranteed, two-year, $50 million contract. Brady ended up leading the Bucs to a Super Bowl win, while winning the Super Bowl MVP in the process.
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The Sixers piqued James’ interest after acquiring Jaylen Brown in a blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics this month. The franchise also managed to keep its talented core consisting of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe on the roster.
In a clip posted on X, long-time James critic Skip Bayless blasted LeBron for ring-chasing in Philadelphia.
“So, in the end, LeBron James chose to ring chase,” Bayless said. “What did you expect? This wasn’t about basketball happiness… This was about ring chasing. What team gave LeBron James the best chance to win a fifth, maybe even a sixth championship? It was obviously from the start, the Philadelphia 76ers.”
“Ring that Liberty Bell. It’s now the city of brotherly Bron. It’s a duh!” Bayless added. “If he wanted basketball happiness, he’d go back to Miami just because it’s Miami, it’s South Beach. You can play year-round golf.”
James has won four NBA titles with three different teams (the Cavaliers, the Heat, and the Lakers) in his illustrious career.
