Why I Think LeBron Chooses the Sixers (And the Rich Paul Quote Everyone Is Ignoring)
I think people are overlooking what may have been the most important thing Rich Paul said in that entire whiteboard video:
"Had the Knicks not won the title, there would be no board."
In other words, Rich Paul confirmed that LeBron was prepared to go to the Knicks if they hadn't won. That tells me LeBron was, at least at one point, very intrigued by the idea of:
- Joining a fourth franchise.
- Getting that team over the hump to its first championship in decades.
- Becoming a legend in another major NBA city.
Because of that, this recent narrative that he's been dead set on returning to Cleveland all along feels pretty speculative. Rich Paul essentially confirmed that wasn't the case.
So what's the next closest opportunity to what the Knicks represented? I think it's the Sixers.
Philadelphia is a top five media market, the franchise hasn't won a championship since 1983, and delivering a title here would make LeBron a Philadelphia legend forever. It would also give him a fourth city where he's viewed as a transformational franchise icon.
From a post-basketball business standpoint, I also think LeBron and Rich Paul understand the value of expanding his legacy into a fourth major market. That creates another fan base, another region, and potentially another ownership pathway if LeBron still intends to pursue NBA ownership. It's also notable that Rich Paul specifically mentioned Josh Harris and David Blitzer in that video, and LeBron has spoken highly of them as owners.
Choosing Philadelphia would also reinforce the idea that basketball is still the priority. It would be another move based on championship opportunity. Returning to Cleveland, while meaningful, would largely be viewed as "going home." That's a much less compelling story than proving he can elevate yet another franchise to a title.
TL;DR: I don't think LeBron is locked in on Cleveland at all. Rich Paul's comments suggest his preferred path was actually New York. With that option gone, I think Philadelphia is the closest version of that original vision, and ultimately the destination he chooses.