76ers exec outlines Jaylen Brown’s role if LeBron James hadn’t joined

Philadelphia 76ers guard Jaylen Brown. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

76ers executive outlines Jaylen Brown’s role if LeBron James hadn’t been signed

By Paul White | Last updated Aug 26, 2026 5:55 PM ET

The dust is finally settling around the NBA now that the league is more than a month removed from the earthquake LeBron James caused in free agency. He kept fans waiting through one of the longest deliberation periods anyone of his caliber has ever used.

He ultimately signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, a move that reverberated around the league, but the team had another major move earlier in July that made the James signing possible.

They sent forward Paul George to the Boston Celtics in exchange for All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown, a move that immediately changed Philadelphia’s fortunes. They may have James now, but it took more than three weeks after the trade for him to sign, meaning the 76ers had some plans for a team centered around Brown, point guard Tyrese Maxey, center Joel Embiid and second-year guard VJ Edgecombe.

Bob Myers asked Jaylen Brown to lead the 76ers before LeBron James joined

Team executive Bob Myers joined NBA legends Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady on their "Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady" podcast, where he discussed the blockbuster trade and his messaging to Brown before the James signing.

“Don’t ever underestimate that you’re a champion… so use that with this team. We don’t have that on our team. Now, this is pre-LeBron, okay? And I said, ‘We need you to lead,’” said Myers.

This is a powerful statement considering that people have been debating who the leader of the 76ers will be all offseason. Obviously, things are different now that a four-time champion is in the picture, but Philadelphia would have been comfortable letting Brown be the face of the team.

The roles on the team are a bit muddled now with four All-Stars on the team and a promising, young talent in Edgecombe. However, Brown, James and Maxey recently worked out together in a session where they practiced different offensive actions and how the on-court dynamics will work in the regular season.

This is a team that was put together on the fly, so there are bound to be some growing pains. However, they all seem committed to making the experiment work, and a lot of it is thanks to Brown’s selflessness and commitment to winning.

Paul White

Paul White is a contract writer from Philadelphia who attended Penn State University. He has contributed hundreds of stories about the NFL and NBA over the years and now brings that experience over to Yardbarker. He is a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan looking to bring the same passion from his city to sports media.

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