Bryce Harper Doesn't Believe LeBron James Will Play for 76ers
After his official decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers, the world continues to wait on LeBron James to announce which NBA team he’ll play for next season.
The Philadelphia 76ers emerged as a serious candidate for James to join in recent weeks, after they added All-Star Jaylen Brown to an already star-powered lineup. That’s led to other sports stars in the city being asked to make their best pitches for James to come to the City of Brotherly Love.
Since Philly is hosting the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, it’s no surprise that even the Commissioner’s Legend Pick, Bryce Harper, got asked about his “elevator pitch” for the NBA superstar.
“Jaylen Brown, their whole team. They got an opportunity,” Harpersaid. “They got four guys that are really good. They got a great fanbase. I think he’s gonna go back to the Cavs, but not really sure what that would be like for him.”
Adding James to the roster would easily make the 76ers the toughest team to defeat in the Eastern Conference, whether their big man, former NBA MVP Joel Embiid, is healthy for the entire season or not.
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The team currently features another All-Star in guard Tyrese Maxey, who led the team with his averages of 28.3 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game last season. VJ Edgecombe will enter his second season, coming off a rookie campaign that featured averages of 16 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals.
In fact, the biggest issue with the current Philadelphia lineup might become players having to take a less significant role in the interest of the team’s success. Brown wants to prove to the Celtics they lost a top superstar capable of helping them win another championship, while Maxey seemed as if he was taking over as Philly’s top player.
The dangerous aspect of Edgecombe emerging as a new young star is that the situation could become too difficult to keep four stars satisfied with their contributions.
In addition to the 76ers, LeBron is choosing between the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Golden State Warriors, where he’ll likely sign a contract for less money than he’s typically made for a team. The Cavs remain frontrunners in prediction markets, where he’d be contending for a fifth championship before retirement.
Harper is quite familiar with making a major career move, having previously been the star player for the Washington Nationals from 2012 to 2018. The two-time National League MVP signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies in March 2019 and has continued to play at an All-Star level.
Recently named to his ninth MLB All-Star Game, he and the Phillies (54-43) are just two games behind the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves (55-40). Harper’s got a .260 average with 20 homeruns and 57 RBIs as of the break.
He and teammate Kyle Schwarber will compete in Monday’s MLB Home Run Derby, holding a serious home advantage at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. They’ll be back in action for Tuesday’s All-Star Game, which also features Philly teammates Cristopher Sanchez, Brandon Marsh, Jhoan Duran, and Jesus Luzardo.
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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 7:31 PM.