There’s no denying that LeBron James has played for some talented teams. He’s also played on some bad ones, more so early in his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he didn’t have much help.
So, when James formed the Big 3 in South Beach with the Miami Heat, it was, as most would say, his best team yet. A core built around three All-NBA talents, it doesn’t get much better than that. However, now some believe James has a chance to join forces and build an even better crew.
76ers Could Offer James His Best Starting 5 Yet
One NBA analyst, FS1’s Colin Cowherd, recently made the case that, by joining the Philadelphia 76ers, James would be playing with his best starting lineup yet.
“If LeBron joined the Philadelphia 76ers, this is the best starting 5 he’s ever had, EASILY. I don’t want to hear about the Heatles.”
“If LeBron joined the Philadelphia 76ers, this is the best starting 5 he’s ever had, EASILY. I don’t want to hear about the Heatles.”
– Colin Cowherd pic.twitter.com/uRsm1xm0sZ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 9, 2026
When James joined those “Heatles” he famously made the bold statement that he felt he could win “Not one, not two, not three…” all the way up to SEVEN NBA Finals trophies. Of course, South Beach was only graced with his talent for four seasons, but he did bring them two NBA championships.
Still, now the 76ers have built what looks to be an incredible force on paper, and one might argue that James could be the final puzzle piece who could help Joel Embiid win a championship.
If the NBA’s all-time points leader joined the Sixers, they could feature a starting lineup composed of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, James, and Embiid. That’s four All-NBA players, and some would argue that Edgecombe, the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has the potential to join them.
Thus, on paper, the 76ers would appear to be able to offer James the rare opportunity to form the best starting five he’s ever been a part of, aside from stints with Team USA. Is that what James wants?
He’s clearly in no rush to make a decision as he ponders where he’ll take his talent for his 24th season in the NBA. This time, James is thinking long and hard about where he’ll go for what could be the final season of his Hall of Fame basketball career.
