RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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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. LeBron James officially decided to join the Philadelphia 76ers last week, ending weeks of speculation that he might join just about any NBA team for his final seasons.
Five teams were mentioned as strong suitors for King James: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves. However, James ultimately selected the 76ers.
A team that wasn't mentioned heavily was the San Antonio Spurs , who just reached the NBA Finals in their young star, Victor Wembanyama's third season. James's agent, Rich Paul, recently explained why his client didn't align himself with Wemby and his talented, young squad.
"It’s similar to the Knicks; these are two teams that finished last two teams in the season. Spurs were the runner-up. And when you have a guy like Wemby, you have to respect his growth, his position on the Spurs. It’s not easy when a LeBron James shows up; it just doesn’t matter who you are," Paul said, answering a fan's question on the " Game Over " podcast.
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Paul's co-host Max Kellerman said he's sure Gregg Popovich and the Spurs organization would welcome LeBron with "open arms," but Paul said LeBron wanted to be respectful with his decision.
In his third season, Wembanyama continued to emerge as one of the league's future superstars. He averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.1 blocks per game for a Spurs team that finished second overall in the Western Conference and dethroned the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Western Conference Championship.
In addition to Wemby, the Spurs had other young stars who started to become bonafide stars in the league, including sophomore Stephon Castle and rookie Dylan Harper. Both players were key components of a Spurs roster that looks like solid contenders for multiple seasons now.
James joining San Antonio would've been a serious shift in the power in what is already a stacked Western Conference. Instead, he opted to bring his talents to Philly, where he's now created a formidable starting lineup that features himself along with All-Stars Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey, as well as future star VJ Edgecombe.
It remains to be seen how well this assembling of star power works in the Eastern Conference, but early expectations are that they're the team to beat, and rightfully so.
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