The 76ers have stacked an All-Star lineup with LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid leading from the front. Well, I wouldn’t forget VJ Edgecombe either, but that’s a conversation for another day. The hype has settled down a bit and now comes the important question.

What role will LeBron James play for the 76ers? His agent Rich Paul teased on his podcast that James might play a role similar to that of Draymond Green: a facilitator. GM Mike Gansey said James will be the “connector” for the Sixers. Here comes the biggest problem.

There’s no doubt that James is one of the best playmakers in the league, even at 41. To run a play, you need the ball in your hands, and that’s where the problem starts. The ‘Usage %’ of the current expected Sixers lineup (Maxey, Edgecombe, James, Brown and Embiid) is at an alarming 143.1%, 43 points over a natural 100% ceiling.

Coming to the ‘Assist %,’ the leaderboards have James, Maxey and Brown (quite surprisingly) at the top. This is what you call a logjam. All three demand the ball to create plays for their teammates. However, Maxey could be James’ biggest problem of all the Sixers.

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In the 2025-26 season, Maxey averaged 95.3 touches per game compared to James’ 70.1. Also, The King in his last season for the Lakers held possession of the ball for an average of 3.8 minutes. Maxey averaged almost twice that, finishing at 7.1 minutes. The Maxey problem doesn’t end here…

The crux of my hypothesis is the assist-to-usage ratio (how much of a player’s ball-dominance converts into playmaking). James leads the current 76ers roster with 1.51, and Maxey is right below him at 1.21. This doesn’t mean the 4x champion is a ball-hog. Rather, it shows how unselfish he is. But all the above stats prove that James, to be an efficient playmaker, or a connector or a facilitator, needs the ball a bit more than the others. So who is willing to sacrifice? That’s something Nick Nurse will have to find an answer to.

What do we know from LeBron James’ time with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves?

Let’s turn back a bit to the 2025-26 season. The Lakers finished with a usage rate of 120.3 (20 points above the ideal number). JJ Redick managed to distribute the offense between Doncic and James.

When it comes to playmaking, James was the clear, well-defined second option. The 4x MVP took a backseat and allowed the offense to revolve around Doncic and Reaves. We can definitely expect James to do something similar with the 76ers. However, this time, the competition for the ball is quite heavy. Do not forget, The King was in his best form in the playoffs last year, when Doncic and Reaves were out with injuries, and he was leading the team from the front.

With Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid in their prime, Patrick Beverley recently predicted LBJ would be the 4th option for the Sixers. That will not sit right with the All-Time Scoring Leader of the NBA. Agent Rich Paul recently shared James’ frustration playing alongside Luka Doncic.

Why will LeBron James not agree to be the 3rd or 4th option for the 76ers?

“Obviously, he’s not the third option but this is what he’s asked to do,” Rich Paul shared on the Game Over podcast, addressing James’ time with Luka Doncic and the Lakers. The 41-year-old left the Lakers mainly because the team made it clear that they would be building around the Slovenian superstar. Salary was not an issue; James’ $8 million deal with the Sixers showed that.

What are the chances that the chemistry issues will not repeat here? The stats that I presented show us that Maxey and Brown, in certain scenarios, could hinder James. However, he also has some players on the team who will complement his role.

“I went back and watched some of the Olympic tape with him (Joel Embiid) and LeBron. Those two played pretty well together. We have so many different options,” said GM Gansey on the newest duo. James has been fond of dominant centers. Let’s not forget his chemistry with Anthony Davis, which led to the 2020 championship.

Embiid in the post with James feeding him the ball at the right spots is going to be a treat to watch. But can the 7ft monster stay healthy? Embiid missed 48 games last season. His knee issue got severe, and he had to play restricted minutes on the court. There is a chance that health and injuries can disrupt this duo. Let’s wait and watch.

In a nutshell, James’ minutes, offensive weightage, and ball control are things the Sixers will have to deal with early to make the season successful. Something that stats cannot measure is James’ experience and expertise. Brown, Embiid, Edgecombe and Maxey will gain insight they have probably never gotten before. But the biggest question entering the season is the same. Who is willing to sacrifice?