The suggestion he wanted to play in Madison Square Garden, 98.5 consequential miles away, was not a smart way for LeBron James to begin his Philadelphia career Monday. Never sweeten up New York in a WIP-FM municipality, especially after the Knicks have won their first NBA championship in 53 years.

Why did he initially think about signing there? Why doesn’t he understand, through his global travels, that he already is being mocked for buying places in both cities this season? When you play in Philly, you don’t ever blow past Bon Jovi and Springsteen in New Jersey and live in Manhattan.

“Multiple residences,” James confirmed to ESPN.

For a time, he adored the Garden and thought it would serve his desires as he leaves Los Angeles. But once Jalen Brunson knocked down Victor Wembanyama, he ruled out joining the Knicks. Why would they want him when they triumphed without him? “I had visions of finishing my career in the Garden,” he said. “One of the best places I’ve ever played. I think it’s the No. 1 arena in the world for a basketball player.

“But after they beat San Antonio, I was like, ‘Hey, I can’t.’ I couldn’t do it.”

Why? “Y’all wouldn’t have let me lay that down, at all,” said James, clanking the media. “But much respect to the Knicks, obviously. An unbelievable team, unbelievable players. Shout out, Jalen Brunson. I love that guy, he’s unbelievable. But, yeah, I’m happy where I’m at, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Months from his 42nd birthday, he blew off Miami, Golden State and Cleveland to join the Sixers. If he stinks this season, the rowdy radio callers will tell him to stay in New York and hook up with the Statue of Liberty. But my guess is that James will not reek, now that he has shaved his head — no more shrinking hair follicles — and is posing for photos with a team that could win its own title.

In his case, Philly needs to chill and let him live. He could have joined Steph Curry or Giannis Antetokounmpo or played in his home region. But James picked the Wells Fargo Center only because the Sixers added Jaylen Brown — in an all-time basketball steal — to a cast including Joel Embiid, V.J. Edgecombe and his close friend, Tyrese Maxey. Some of us thought he would retire to his new home in Beverly Hills. Still oozing energy from his mind and body, for a longer span than any sports great beyond Tom Brady, he sees an opportunity to win his fifth crown in his 24th season.

“I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round,” James said. “I know that for sure. Work needs to be done, and I’m ready to get to work.”

It’s bizarre seeing him in a town where fans overrule the usual seasonal grind. He was God in Cleveland and a tourist attraction in Miami, and in southern California, he was a movie star and media mogul who won a Bubble title six years ago. They’ll try to make him bleed and expect a 70-win season. In truth, he would love a 70-win season after struggling too long with the Lakers, who added an icon in Luka Doncic and fell below the younger Spurs and Thunder. To achieve what he wants, James will have to dethrone the Knicks, who already deal with an issue: Will they not reward Karl-Anthony Towns with a contract extension?

Hasn’t LeBron already conquered the globe, with only Michael Jordan above him? Bring on the heat in a cold winter city.

“Understand that the noise is going to be the noise,” James said. “What happens outside of this building is going to consistently happen, and it’s going to be doubled and tripled and quadrupled down on you. It just comes with the territory.”

He is making $8 million for two years. He’d better win, or his family will ask why he’s 2,800 miles away when Bronny is still with the Lakers and Bryce is playing this year at Arizona. You wonder if he keeps playing because he would have nothing else to do. You also wonder if his ego still must be stroked.

A key figure in his moving arrangement will be Maxey, one of the game’s explosive guards. At 25, he’ll be anchoring James with the likes of Embiid, who once made fun of him but lost major pounds in the offseason. James called Maxey when he was making his decision. They share the same agent, Rich Paul.

“I was just asking all the questions I could ask him, and it wasn’t one conversation,” James said. “When I broke a lot of the teams down, he was one of the main deciding factors. “I have a really, really good, great relationship with Tyrese. Where does he see his career going? How he sees the franchise here? And how much he believes in the franchise? And if I was to come here, how does he see me fitting in? Do we think it’d be a plus, or do we think it’d be a negative?”

Here is where James made a statement that is true, though I never thought he’d say it. “Because I understand my personality and what comes with me. Sometimes it can be a negative,” he said. The negativity happens when he sulks in losing streaks, when he tweaks players for not joining him in supreme shape. Watch closely how he gets along with Brown, who had feuds with Jayson Tatum in Boston. There is no reason they shouldn’t get along swimmingly.

“I’m gonna get an opportunity to be around him even more,” James said. “We’ve worked out three or four times this offseason, and we’ve been in communication. We’re two of the guys on the team that have been through the foxhole and been through the wringer of what it takes from the moment we step on the court for training camp to the moment we raise that Larry O’Brien Trophy. We know what it takes. So, just trying to make sure we’re on the same page and have everybody else on the same page, but it’s been nothing but good interaction with JB, and we’re gonna continue that.”

Maxey is thrilled. “Him being here is really cool, really cool,” he said. “I think it’s going to be really good for our team, good for the organization, good for the city, for our team. He’s someone who’s done it before, who’s won before. He’s going to just uplift the whole entire team, the entire organization.”

Antetokounmpo greeted South Florida on Media Day, saying he was “scared” of the iguanas outside his Pinecrest mansion. Kawhi Leonard continued to be cowardly, refusing to discuss his crimes with the Clippers and urging people to follow the Raptors. Nikola Jokic said he’s sign next summer with the Nuggets. And Doncic? “Feels great. I feel excited,” he said about moving on without James.

LeBron remains a massive topic. In Miami, tickets are outrageously priced for his first trip to an arena where he won two titles. Wait until he shows up at the Garden?

“I have a lot of experience in this game, obviously, so I hope that I could bring that experience, bring that knowledge, bring the blueprint to guys trying to accomplish some things that they haven’t done in their career,” James said. “I’ve seen everything that this league has to offer on the floor and off the floor. I hope that every single day with my approach to the game, and approach to the work, that it can translate to every single guy and being able to win at the highest level.”

The highest level, he said.

At some point, he should move full-time to Philadelphia, where they will worship him and sing happy birthday on Dec. 30. In New York, won’t they just abuse him?

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Jay Mariotti, called “without question the most impacting Chicago sportswriter of the past quarter-century,’’ writes general sports columns for Substack while appearing on some of the 1,678,498 podcasts and shows in production today. He is an accomplished columnist, TV panelist and talk/podcast host.