The 76ers didn't wait long to start selling the vision. Less than a month after LeBron James stunned the league by picking Philadelphia over the Lakers, he was already in a gym with his two new co-stars, getting shots up and building chemistry ahead of a season that's already carrying championship-or-bust expectations.
James' move to Philly was one of the wildest free agency swings in recent memory. He signed a 2-year, roughly $8 million deal with a player option, a massive pay cut from the $53 million he made with the Lakers last season, and called it his "last decision" after reportedly weighing retirement. At 41, with 4 championships and 22 All-Star selections already banked, he's chasing one more ring in the East instead of coasting out west.
Maxey deserves a lot of credit for making it happen. A fellow Klutch Sports client, he reportedly led the recruiting push and worked on James directly, leaning on a relationship he's described as having a big brother in James. Brown, meanwhile, is the other new face in the building after Philly acquired him from the Celtics this offseason, giving the Sixers a third legitimate star to pair with Joel Embiid in the frontcourt.
That's the trio fans are now watching workout footage of on repeat. The early-morning gym session, shot by trainer Chris Johnson, is the first real look at James, Brown and Maxey sharing the floor as teammates, and it's exactly the kind of offseason content a fanbase starved for good vibes eats up.
None of it means anything on the scoreboard yet. Chemistry built in an empty gym in August doesn't guarantee it shows up in a playoff series in May. But for a Sixers team that's dealt with more injury-riddled disappointment than title runs over the past decade, a healthy Embiid alongside James, Brown and Maxey is the best hand this front office has put together in years. The real test starts when the games count.