LeBron James’ career moves have always stirred speculation, and the 2018 NBA offseason was no different.
Back then, Chris Broussard was among those fueling it, claiming James — eager to play more off the ball — was eyeing Ben Simmons as the ideal playmaker to ease the shift, igniting serious talk of a move to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Advertisement
The perfect landing spot?
The 2017-18 season marked James’ final run in a Cleveland Cavaliers uniform. After 11 combined seasons in Cleveland and four in South Beach, he was once again seeking a new challenge in his storied basketball career.
The topic surfaced on a “The Herd” episode after the regular season had ended, during a segment in which host Colin Cowherd and guest Broussard discussed the state of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Sixers, fresh off a gentleman’s sweep by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, had once again fallen well short of their fans’ desperate championship title hopes. Yet Broussard saw a “silver lining.”
Advertisement
The TV personality explained that, amid local skepticism, James might “mess up” a team seen as Simmons’ and Joel Embiid’s, the playoff exit — showing the duo wasn’t ready yet — completely shifted that narrative. Now, he claimed, everyone should realize that only LeBron could help the team reach its goals.
“The stage is being set for LeBron James to go to Philadelphia as the savior this summer,” said Broussard.
Missed Philly experiment
If James has any weaknesses or areas to improve, it’s long-range shooting. He has historically been shaky from three, and Simmons — with just 36 career attempts over seven years — is even more limited in that department.
Advertisement
Having said that, both thrive in a “do-it-all” style, propelled by the combination of their unique physical and mental traits. It’s a similarity that, when paired, could have had real upside, but their lack of shooting range wouldn’t have made it a completely smooth fit on paper.
Broussard, however, argued it could work. Citing a source close to James, he said the four-time MVP was ready to adjust his game going into his 16th NBA season. He noted that James had never really had a “teammate who was a playmaker for other guys,” but with someone like Simmons next to him, the transition to playing off the ball could be eased.
Instead of averaging a modest 16 points while padding stats in rebounds, assists and steals, this shift could have boosted James’ scoring. Broussard explained that in Philly, LeBron could have played more as a true small forward — leading the team with 26–27 points, grabbing eight or nine boards and still dishing out six assists.
Advertisement
Ultimately, fans — especially Los Angeles Lakers supporters — know the basketball icon chose a different path that offseason, leaving plenty of “what if” questions. Interestingly, many of these focus less on James himself and more on Simmons.
The three-time All-Star, 2018 Rookie of the Year and 2020 steals leader has seen a steep career decline in recent years. Considering that the Australian, now 29, is arguably in his prime — a fall from grace rarely seen — it raises the question of whether that same downturn would have happened to Simmons if James had joined the Sixers back then.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 15, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.