LeBron Watch: The path to the Sixers following UConn’s Dan Hurley turning down Lakers’ $70 million head coach offer

The Los Angeles Lakers were dealt a handful of embarrassment with UConn head coach Dan Hurley turning down a massive contract to become the team’s next head coach.

The reported contract offered to the UConn head coach was six-years, $70 million offer. Hurley will now look to chase down his third straight NCAA Championship with UConn – a feat that hasn’t been done since John Wooden did it 50 years ago, instead of dealing with the “Lake Show”.

What did LeBron James have to do with Hurley’s decision? That remains unclear but we can definitely speculate.

James has been a long believer that players and coaches should be “partners” in how teams are managed instead of what many would consider the more traditional relationship where head coaches…are actually head coaches. 

Where LeBron James will end up this Summer will ultimately fall on the Lakers’ decision at head coach. It has been reported that JJ Redick, a podcast cohost of LeBron’s could now be considered yet again, the front runner for the position.

If that happens, I would think that James won’t be going anywhere and will remain in Los Angeles on a new contract. On top of that, in order for LeBron to become a free agent, he would need to decline his $51.4 player option this summer.

Also Worth Noting: The Lakers also have a three first-round draft picks that can be used to trade for another star player (think Trae Young or Donovan Mitchell) in order to entice LeBron to stay with the team. Of course, they will almost certainly have to draft James’ son Bronny as well. 

Do they ever know what they’re talking about?! 🤷🏾‍♂️

— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 10, 2024

I know Lebron is 39 years old, and his only desire now is to play with his son and get JJ Redick a head coaching job.

Let’s simplify this: If Lebron James signs with the Sixers, they will instantly be one of the title favorites next year. While we’ve been down this road plenty of times. Trust me. I know how the narrative goes around the Philadelphia 76ers every summer heading into a new NBA season. But still, even at his age, LeBron James would be the most significant addition the franchise has made to pair alongside Joel Embiid.

Sixers signing Lebron James in Free Agency?

Whether this is the best possible move the Sixers could make this offseason is an entirely different conversation. The first path to making this happen is in free agency, where Philly could offer him a three-year max deal worth around $157 million.

Unfortunately, this would leave the 76ers around $13 million to spend on improving the rest of the roster. Recent history showed us what happens to an NBA team when they invest the majority of their money into three players (I’m looking at you, Phoenix) and it doesn’t really make sense to dump everything into LeBron James.

Would I hate it? No. Is it likely a move that will hinder the future of the 76ers? Yes.

The Sixers could also trade straight up for Lebron if he were to pick up his player option with the Lakers. In that scenario, the Sixers would have around only $11.8 million in cap space. The final and unlikely scenario is a sign-and-trade where the Lakers and James could mutually agree as they officially turn the page on that era.

I’m personally so torn about what I want the Sixers to do that I find myself actually believing they could lure Lebron here after all this time.

But wouldn’t it be something if the 76ers used either pick no. 16 or 41 in the draft on Bronny James?

Maybe that’s the first domino to fall in making this happen, and perhaps Tyrese Maxey, who, like Lebron, is a Clutch athlete, too, could convince him to come to the City of Brotherly Love.