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Derrick Rose Reacts to LeBron James Joining Philadelphia 76ers
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The Eastern Conference's Philadelphia 76ers landed LeBron James in free agency, with the big announcement arriving on Friday to surprise everyone around the league and planet.
Former NBA MVP Derrick Rose played in the league from 2008 to 2024 and had multiple on-court clashes and memories against King James. The three-time NBA All-Star was asked for his thoughts on James deciding to make the 76ers his next team.
"I mean, I'm out of the game. Happy for him, but that’s not my life no more,” Rose said, giving the simplest of reactions.
With James joining the 76ers, it creates an almost overpowered starting lineup consisting of James, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown. Philadelphia acquired Brown in a trade with the Celtics this offseason, which seemingly helped them sign James to a two-year deal.
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D-Rose famously became a huge star and hero in Chicago during his early career, including his 2011 NBA season, when he led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals. Unfortunately, waiting there for the Bulls was a superstar Miami Heat team featuring James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
The Bulls were defeated swiftly by James and the Heat 4-1, with Miami heading to the NBA Finals and Bulls fans left wondering what might have been.
Based on Rose's response about James, he's happy for his former friend and opponent. Still, he seems uninterested in providing further analysis of how much the move shifted power to the Philadelphia 76ers.
With the James signing, it pushed Philly into the conversation of contenders, and made them a top three favorite to win the championship in the NBA next season. They sit only behind the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Those two Western Conference teams, along with this year's NBA champs, the New York Knicks, seem like they'll be the biggest measuring sticks to see how this 76ers team stacks up.
How James and his new teammates perform against the league's best is always a way of determining whether they have what it takes to take down the best once the high-stakes postseason rolls around.
Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers finished at 45-37 and reached the playoffs as the No. 7 seed. While they ousted the Celtics in seven-game first-round series, they were then swept by the Knicks, who went on to win the championship.
Philly fans are hoping that King James and Brown will improve their chances of defeating New York and other formidable foes on their patch to a championship.
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