Sophie Cunningham understands why the basketball world is excited about LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers. The Indiana Fever guard also sees one potential problem with the NBA’s newest superteam.
James announced Friday that he will sign a two-year, $8 million contract with Philadelphia. The deal includes a player option for the second season and gives the 41-year-old an opportunity to chase his fifth NBA championship during what he has described as the final chapter of his career.
The news initially caught Cunningham by surprise.
“Is it real?” Cunningham asked during an interview with Complex Bets. “Is it actually real?”
Once Cunningham accepted that James was truly heading to Philadelphia, she raised the same question that will follow the 76ers into the 2026-27 season.
How will they keep all of their stars involved?
“I mean, we were kind of talking about there’s only one ball amongst a lot of stars,” Cunningham said. “So I think that’ll be interesting. But like, how cool? I think that that team is going to draw a lot of attention. I’m curious to know how it’s going to pan out. But good for him.”
Sophie Cunningham identifies Sixers’ biggest challenge
Philadelphia has assembled one of the most talented lineups in the NBA. James will join a core featuring Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown, whom the 76ers acquired from the Boston Celtics earlier in the offseason. Philadelphia also has promising young guard VJ Edgecombe and added Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade and rookie Labaron Philon Jr.
There is no shortage of scoring ability on that roster. There may, however, be a shortage of possessions.
James has spent much of his career controlling the ball and creating opportunities for his teammates. Maxey has developed into an elite scorer and primary playmaker, while Embiid remains one of the league’s most dominant high-usage centers when healthy.
Brown is also accustomed to having the ball in important situations after serving as one of Boston’s primary offensive options. He was named the 2024 NBA Finals MVP while helping the Celtics win a championship. Cunningham’s concern does not mean Philadelphia’s experiment is destined to fail. James is one of the smartest and most adaptable players in NBA history, and the 76ers have enough talent to overwhelm opponents even while working through the occasional chemistry issue.
Still, deciding who initiates the offense and who takes the biggest shots will be one of coach Nick Nurse’s first challenges.
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James’ willingness to accept a significantly smaller contract should make that adjustment easier. The four-time NBA MVP earned nearly $53 million during his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He will make only a fraction of that amount in Philadelphia after making it clear that his final decision was about competing for another championship.
James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season. While he is no longer expected to carry an offense by himself, he remains capable of making a major impact. Philadelphia has not won an NBA championship since 1983. Adding James to an already loaded roster immediately raised expectations and strengthened the 76ers’ place among the leading contenders in the Eastern Conference.
Cunningham, meanwhile, is in the middle of a productive season with Indiana. She entered the WNBA All-Star break averaging 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists through 26 games for the 17-10 Fever. Her initial disbelief was shared by plenty of basketball fans. Her concern about Philadelphia’s crowded offense will likely be shared by opponents and analysts throughout the offseason.
The 76ers have more than enough star power to win a championship. Now they must prove Cunningham wrong by making all of those stars fit around one basketball.
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