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With each passing day, LeBron James’ free agency appears to be drawing closer, and fans can barely contain their anticipation. Based on the latest speculation, five teams remain in the conversation. Among them is the Cleveland Cavaliers, the very franchise that drafted James. While many believe the superstar should finish his NBA career with the Cavaliers, Bryce Harper has entered the conversation with a pitch of his own, inviting James to the City of Brotherly Love.

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The Philadelphia Phillies’ first baseman, Bryce Harper, has been in Philadelphia since 2019. He understands how deeply the city cares about sports and how much it has invested in its teams. So, perhaps, he is the perfect person to convince LeBron James to join the 76ers. And he didn’t shy away from the same when he was asked, “The question comes from Charlie. He says, ‘Do you have a message for LeBron James to come to the Sixers?'”

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“Ha, ha, ha. I don’t know, I think he’s going to the Cavs,” Harper told ESPN from the field. “I think he’s going back home to end his career there. But you never know, I think. Obviously, they got a couple of guys over there (who) are pretty fun to play with. We got Jaylen Brown. So I don’t know. You want to come to a crazy city and have some fun, I mean, this is it.”

A move to Philadelphia, which is the Eastern Conference rival of the Cleveland Cavaliers, would pair James with Maxey, Edgecombe, Brown, and Embiid, giving him one of the league’s most talented supporting casts. If his priorities are enjoying basketball again and contending for another title, the 76ers check both boxes.

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And that’s something that aligns with Harper’s pitch as well. He highlighted that they have Brown this year, and the chances of Philadelphia excelling this season will only grow with James. Harper was also asked to make an elevator pitch earlier during the All-Star Game. Then, too, he said something similar.

Despite strongly believing that the Cavaliers are the most probable destination for James, Harper reportedly said:

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“Oh man, Jaylen Brown? Their whole team? They’ve got an opportunity. They’ve got four really good guys, got a great fanbase.”

Apart from acquiring Brown from the Boston Celtics this offseason, the 76ers also signed Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade in free agency. They also selected Labaron Philon Jr. with the No. 22 pick in the NBA Draft. The 76ers, who are among the favorites to win the NBA championship next season, could certainly use 22-time All-Star LeBron James on their roster. He could fill any remaining needs in the frontcourt.

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As much as any team would love to sign the four-time NBA champion, the most likely destinations for James include the 76ers, the Cavaliers, the Golden State Warriors, and the Miami Heat. James is reportedly expected to announce his decision this week, and Philadelphia fans would love it if Bryce Harper’s pitch during the All-Star Game actually worked. They’ll find out soon enough.

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Written by

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Srijanee Chakraborty

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Srijanee Chakraborty is a writer at EssentiallySports, where she focuses on covering Major League Baseball. She transitioned into sports journalism from being a dedicated fact-checker—a skill that still shines through in the accuracy and deep-dive reporting of each piece she writes. Her master's degree in English and postgraduate diploma in Mass Communication work together to help her uncover the stories behind the stats. When Srijanee is not tracking baseball action, she can be found obsessing over professional tennis or her favorite fictional characters.

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Deepali Verma

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