NBA trades and free-agency signings continue to dominate headlines, and there has been no shortage of reactions to this offseason’s major moves. Jaylen Brown, now of the Philadelphia 76ers, has been a lightning rod for reactions since his departure from the Boston Celtics.
Everything from Brown’s impact as a player to his analytics to his personality has been hotly debated. Now, someone who knows a thing or two about changing teams has come to his defense: LeBron James.
LeBron James Offers Support to Jaylen Brown, Prompting Speculation of 76ers Move
James took to Instagram to share a video of former NBA player Austin Rivers defending Brown, and Rivers did not mince words.
“He’s done nothing wrong…” Rivers said of Brown, arguing that he works hard and can flat-out play. “Ya’ll got a bunch of twerps in the NBA that do everything right — they don’t talk, they are quiet, they are easy to manage — but they can’t ball for anything. I’ll take the guy who shows up and hoops.”
Rivers also argued that it’s bad for the game when owners make cost-cutting moves like the Brown trade. Finally, he took aim at the people throughout the NBA who bash players and then refuse to put their name on it.
“If you’re going to talk crazy, especially about our elite, put a name on it,” Rivers said. “I’m so tired of this.”
View this post on Instagram
James clearly agrees with Rivers, particularly about the use of anonymous sources to criticize players. When he shared the video, James added the caption: “Put a [expletive] name on it.”
Rivers doubled down in the caption of his video, writing: “Enough of the ‘anonymous sources.’ Y’all are weak for that. And the reporters putting that out there are no better (you know who you are, I got a long list of them, I know them personally)!! This Jaylen brown smear campaign is wack!!!! The guy is one of our games best!!!”
James and Rivers clearly believe that the anonymous-source discourse harms the game, and they wish the media would name the source of each quote. However, many executives and coaches aren’t allowed to speak to the media, which is why many of these quotes remain anonymous.
James is currently an unrestricted free agent and he has made it clear that he won’t be returning to the Los Angeles Lakers, so now all eyes are on the four-time NBA champion to see where he’ll finish his legendary career.
James’ defense of Brown comes at a time when the 76ers are in the mix to sign James. Philadelphia is one of several teams being viewed as a serious suitor for James, so the timing of this post is interesting and sparked speculation of a possible James-Brown team-up.
James teaming up with Brown, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid would make the 76ers a title contender in the Eastern Conference. James would have to take a significant pay cut from what he earned last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his agent, Rich Paul, has indicated that James isn’t prioritizing money when making his free-agency decision.
Will James join the 76ers to form a super-team with Brown, Maxey, Embiid, and Edgecombe and try to bring a championship to Philadelphia for the first time in over 40 years?
