Is LeBron James ready to "trust the process?"
That's what the Philadelphia 76ers are hoping.
As the 4-time MVP officially enters the free agent market, his first meeting has been scheduled and it won't be with the Cleveland Cavaliers or Los Angeles Lakers. Although James, himself, won't be present, his representatives will meet with Sixers brass in Los Angeles on Sunday, according to multiple reports.
Dating back to last season, Philadelphia has been touted as a potential landing spot for James -- you remember the billboards, right? -- although the Sixers have often seemed to be thought of as a long shot to actually sign the 3-time NBA champion. Although Philadelphia lays claim to one of basketball's most promising up-and-coming teams, James' playing style would seemingly clash with its young core of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
Should new speculation come to fruition, however, it could give James even more reason to consider taking his talents to the City of Brotherly Love. According to Marc Stein of The New York Times, one portion of the Sixers' pitch to James centers around their belief that could also acquire disgruntled San Antonio Spurs star forward Kawhi Leonard. Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News added that Philadelphia believes it could keep Leonard past the one season that remains on his current contract.
Such trade could be tricky -- especially with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that the Sixers are unwilling to part with Simmons, Embiid or former No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz in any deal. It's also worth noting that at this point, a premium is placed on posturing and smoke screens, as the Lakers have also reportedly been engaged with trade talks regarding Leonard.
With Paul George opting to re-sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder, landing Leonard could prove to be both the Sixers and the Lakers' last chance at also luring James. Otherwise, Cleveland could find itself ultimately benefiting from its hometown advantage.
While a meeting has yet to be arranged, Cavs general manager Koby Altman spoke with James and his agent, Rich Paul, at 12:01 a.m. ET on Saturday. Last month, Altman insisted the team had maintained "good dialogue" with James' management team since Cleveland's season-ending loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
"LeBron has more than earned the right to approach his contracts the way he does," Altman said following the NBA Draft. "He's done that before, so this is nothing new for us. We want to respect his space during this process. And I continue to have really good dialogue with his management team as he goes through that process."
For all the latest on James' free agency, follow our LeBron James 2018 free agency rumor tracker.
