Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey broke silence on the LeBron James rumors.
Philadelphia 76ers executive Bob Myers made his pitch to free agent LeBron James, and now another member of the team's leadership is speaking out on the sweepstakes.
President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey, who is familiar with James from his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, spoke with 97.5 The Fanatic about the possibility of the 76ers signing the 22-time All-Star.
"I have known LeBron for a long time. I have a ton of respect for him," Gansey said. "Obviously, I think he would be a great fit for our group, and of course, would love to have him."
Gansey, when speaking about bolstering the roster further, hinted at Philadelphia's desire to land the four-time NBA champion.
"We have an open roster spot. We are looking at ways we can get better. Obviously, we are holding that roster spot right now for someone," Gansey said.
The 76ers are not pursuing James quietly, and why should they? Philadelphia wants the 41-year-old forward to know he is valued by the organization and is their priority at this stage of the offseason. The front office is absolutely correct in doing so, as he could elevate the roster further and act as the missing piece of the starting lineup.
He would join Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid in the starting five, which would push Dean Wade to the bench. There, Wade would bolster the second unit alongside Anfernee Simons, Ariel Hukporti, Labaron Philon Jr., and others.
From a basketball standpoint, the 76ers are arguably the top destination, but the happiness factor could hurt their rating in James' mind. He has much stronger ties to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
The reality is Philadelphia's front office has laid out their pitch... publicly at that. Now, the rest is up to James.
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