How 76ers' Maxey is 'leading the charge' in team's pursuit of James

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

How 76ers' Tyrese Maxey is 'leading the charge' in team's pursuit of LeBron James

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jul 14, 2026 10:07 PM ET

The Philadelphia 76ers are ensuring all their stars remain in contact with LeBron James as they continue pursuing the free-agent forward.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported Tuesday night that guards Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown and center Joel Embiid are regularly contacting James. Maxey is "leading the charge."

Why Tyrese Maxey could be the key to the 76ers landing LeBron James

Maxey has the closest relationship with James among Philadelphia's standouts. He's a client of Klutch Sports, the agency that also represents James. That has allowed the 25-year-old to grow closer to the 41-year-old, whom he has called a "big brother," per McMenamin.

James and Maxey train together during the offseason. In March, Maxey told Jimmy Fallon that he and the former Los Angeles Laker regularly compete over who arrives at training sessions first.

.@TyreseMaxey and @KingJames try to one-up each other by seeing who arrives earlier to a workout #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/HXtJoQhvWg
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) March 25, 2026

Maxey bonding with James could give the 76ers an edge in contract negotiations. "The King" values tight friendships. His relationship with former Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade helped convince him to take his talents to South Beach in 2010.

"I think me personally, I would have been very successful in this league without D-Wade, but to accomplish what I really wanted to accomplish in this league, and that's winning at the highest level, I needed him," James said in 2018. "I appreciate more than I can express in words what he did for me when I went down to Miami."

Does he feel the same way about two-time All-Star Maxey? Maybe not yet, which is why he's still speaking with other suitors. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported five teams are pursuing James, including the 76ers. The others are the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers and Heat.

Philadelphia, Miami and Cleveland remain his top destinations. James, of course, played for the Cavaliers from 2003-10 and from 2014-18.

@ShamsCharania latest update on LeBron James' free agency

“There's a focus on Cleveland, Miami and Philadelphia." pic.twitter.com/0P3Cv0F93O
— ESPN (@espn) July 14, 2026

Forward Draymond Green is reportedly helping the Warriors make another push for James. It appears he's been persistent in his recruiting efforts. Green was spotted golfing with James and comedian Kevin Hart on Tuesday.

Perhaps Maxey should grab his clubs. His efforts to sign James are making him more interested in joining the 76ers, but he may want to hear a stronger recruiting pitch before committing to the franchise. If that persuades four-time champion James to come to the "City of Brotherly Love," Maxey hitting the links would be even more worthwhile.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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