Magic Johnson Raises Fresh Concerns About LeBron James’ Fit With the 76ers

As of July 26, LeBron James is now an official member of the Philadelphia 76ers. James signed a two-year deal worth $8 million with the Sixers, a below-market number that Rich Paul reportedly negotiated as a discount to get the deal done. LeBron is set to form a superteam with Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey, arguably making them the strongest team in the Eastern Conference, if not the NBA.

While the idea of witnessing four stars potentially take over the league this coming season, NBA legend Magic Johnson raised some concerns. Johnson went on social media to express his thoughts on the 76ers' new look. He sees plenty of potential and recognizes that they have what it takes to be a powerhouse in the league. However, he couldn't help but bring up the team's defense and chemistry.

"After trading for one of the best two way players in the league and NBA All Star Jaylen Brown, the Sixers then signed the biggest free agent on the market this summer, 4x NBA champion and future Hall of Famer LeBron James," Magic wrote on X.

"LeBron makes the Sixers one of the best teams in the NBA and the biggest threat to the World Champion Knicks in the Eastern Conference," Johnson added. "Philly’s starting lineup will have four All-Stars, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey, and offensively they will be great."

"But all four are used to having the ball in their hands, so I’m interested to see what type of offense Coach Nurse draws up. I have two big questions for Philly: one is on the defensive end, and two is their team chemistry. If they answer those two… watch out," Johnson concluded.

Johnson's defensive question isn't abstract- it's about who's standing behind Embiid. Looking at the current lineup, Embiid appears to be the only solid rim protector for the 76ers, and even that comes with an asterisk: he hasn't played more than 40 games in any of the last three seasons.

While James could technically fill the gaps, at his age, he needs to reserve his tank for bigger moments in the game. LeBron is no longer capable of providing on both ends of the court simultaneously while still having lots of energy to play.

Behind Embiid, the depth chart thins out fast - Adem Bona, Ariel Hukporti, and a still-developing Johni Broome, none of whom have proven they can anchor a defense for real minutes.

That's a stark contrast to the two teams Magic explicitly named as Philly's competition: the champion Knicks kept their core of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns fully intact and are considered the deepest roster in the East, while the Celtics, even after trading Brown, added Mitchell Robinson at center and still have Derrick White holding their defense together.

If Embiid misses time, which recent history says is likely, the 76ers don't have a rival-caliber answer at the rim.

Chemistry could also be a major issue. Brown has been rumored to be a prima donna during his time with the Boston Celtics. That attitude of his might not sit well with his new teammates.

Meanwhile, Maxey has been the 76ers' primary ball handler for a while now. With James coming into the picture, will he be ready to share the responsibility with the 23-year veteran?

To Johnson's point, all four stars are talented players and beasts on the hardwood, especially when healthy. If they manage to get along and immediately find a way to gel together, the 76ers could end up becoming the biggest threat in the league this coming season.

But the burden of proof sits squarely on the two things Magic flagged, not the talent, which was never in question.

NBA Legend Reacts to LeBron James Joining the 76ers

For the fourth time in his career, LeBron James has switched teams. This time around, he joined forces with the Philadelphia 76ers. Throughout the summer, the Sixers have been one of the five teams in the LeBron sweepstakes. Despite that, nobody believed he would end up in Philly.

Many wanted to see the King go back home to Cleveland. Others wanted to witness the team-up between James and Stephen Curry with the Golden State Warriors. Meanwhile, there were those who were looking forward to LeBron running it back in South Beach, this time with Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Apparently, one of James' closest friends, Dwyane Wade, was also taken by surprise when he heard about him joining the 76ers.

"LeBron is never going to do what you think he’s going to do. I don’t think any of us had Philly pinned as the No. 1 team," Wade said on the Post Moves Show.

Wade lived through exactly the kind of superteam growing pains Magic is now warning about, and even he didn't see this fit coming.

Now that James has chosen his team, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver can finalize the league's calendar. Silver previously urged LeBron to pick a team as soon as he could because he wanted to prioritize him in marquee dates.

With James now in Philly, it'll be interesting to see who Silver pits against the 76ers during those special televised games.