LeBron James may adjust to playing more like a four-time NBA champion with the Philadelphia 76ers.
When you hear the word "facilitator," many think that means having the ball in your hands and passing the ball around. Others think it just means racking up assists, and that’s far from the truth.
This is a role that LeBron James could find himself in with the Philadelphia 76ers. According to James' agent, Rich Paul, he envisions James in a “Draymond Green-like role."
What this truly means is a facilitator is someone who makes sure everyone is in their right space and assesses the floor, looking for the best option. A guy who makes the right read instead of the first. He takes the light off himself to ensure that everyone else is taken care of.
Green has been widely considered as the cog the Golden State Warriors can’t do without. His commitment to doing the little things: setting screens, settling the offense, doing the dirty work, things like that. Green has long been known as the facilitator for the Warriors’ offense, and it’s something James can easily handle.
James has flirted with the idea of being a more secondary option behind the rest of the starters. If that happens, it can definitely open things up for the rest of the lineup. Paul’s comments can mean more than just on-court activity. It may be more about how he can impact the locker room.
Green is considered the heart and soul of that Warriors’ locker room; James can do that for the 76ers. With all his experience and mental fortitude, he could be just the thing the team needs when they face a rough patch in the season.
Now as far as defense goes, there’s going to be a little different approach between the two NBA champions. Green’s approach is to get under your skin and disrupt you with his physicality and trash-talking.
James, on the other hand, takes a more finesse-approach. It doesn’t come in the form of abrasive activity. It comes with the mental, changing defensive schemes and manipulating the floor and not just a singular player. He can create a more active defense by just rotating coverages to what he sees.
Green was the emotional leader, and James will be the psychological leader. While both players are taking a backseat to the star of the team, the main difference is one of them IS the star of the team.
It's going to be interesting to see how James goes into his new role, but one could say it could be a career-altering decision.
