LeBron James came awfully close to staying in the Eastern Conference.
While discussing the meeting the team had with James' agent, Rich Paul, and Klutch Sports last week, 76ers managing partner Josh Harris said he felt the superstar "strongly" considered Philadelphia before signing with Los Angeles.
"I think they considered us very strongly," Harris said Monday at the Las Vegas Summer League, via ESPN. "I think he — I would be speculating on how he makes his decisions, and I don't want to do that — but I think that they were really serious [about Philadelphia]. The fact that they took the meeting with us was something that they didn't view lightly, so I think that they were very serious about it."
James agreed to a four-year deal worth $154 million with the Lakers at the start of free agency and made the move official when he signed his contract Monday.
The Sixers were hopeful James could mentor their young squad that includes Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz. Instead, the four-time MVP will play alongside the Lakers' young group that includes Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
