Bob Myers gets real about how LeBron James picked the hardest path by signing with Philly

Bob Myers gets real about how LeBron James picked the hardest path by signing with Philly originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

One of the biggest storylines of the 2026 offseason was definitely LeBron James' next destination. He decided to exit the Los Angeles Lakers, so almost every team in the league wanted to sign him. Despite the fact that he is 41, no one truly cared because they wanted the four-time Finals MVP.

Amid all the interest, James joined the Philadelphia 76ers. After seeing them trade for Jaylen Brown, it was already a loaded team, but they managed to land James. Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment's Bob Myers, formerly of the Golden State Warriors, was integral to sealing the deal to get Bron to the City of Brotherly Love.

Throughout his career, James has made a lot of smart decisions when it comes to joining teams. He joined the Miami Heat in 2010 and immediately became contenders. They made it to four consecutive NBA Finals, winning two of them.

He made his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and they made it to the Finals from 2015 to 2018. James led them to the win in 2016, coming back from a 3-1 deficit. The same can also be said about him joining the Lakers in 2018, managing to lead them to a title in his second year there.

MORE: Tyrese Haliburton believes the Eastern Conference is much better than the Western Conference now

Joining Philadelphia was an easy decision because it means that he is joining up with star players again. They have a good chance of competing for the title, but it might not be as straightforward as it was in the past because the Eastern Conference is quite competitive.

"If you ever questioned the motivations of LeBron, he chose the hardest path, I think. Now you say best chance to win. He goes back to Cleveland. He’s made man. He chose the only one reason. It’s to win. It wasn’t because I played there before. Or I grew up there. I want to play with my friend. It was because I want to win. So, I’m going to go where I want to go. It gives me the best chance to win," Myers said to Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter on their Cousins podcast.

Myers makes an interesting point because there were other pathways LeBron could have gone. Now, he will be playing for the 76ers, where he will be faced with a tough challenge of going for the championship again. It will be quite difficult, but it seems he is ready to be the leader of this ambitious franchise that has not won since 1983.

• V.J. Edgecombe is ready to play his role in the refreshed 76ers roster
• Tyrese Maxey has been seen working out with potential rival Tyrese Haliburton
• The 76ers have a massive NBA championship roadblock waiting for them
• Jeff Teague picks the Miami Heat over the Philadelphia 76ers in terms of championship contender status
• V.J. Edgecombe has no issue with interacting with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown