LeBron’s Philly Shocker! Plus, the 2011 NBA Redraftables With Zach Lowe.

July 24, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

LeBron James is going to the Philadelphia 76ers. Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe were 20 minutes away from recording a 2011 NBA redraft when the news broke. The deal, which Simmons called a genuine “7.5 out of 10” on the shock scale, sent LeBron to a team nobody expected, with a fit that both hosts found fascinating and fragile in equal measure.

Simmons had been convinced LeBron would land in Cleveland, Miami, or with his friends in Golden State. Instead, Philadelphia emerged from nowhere, offering a starting five that on paper—if Joel Embiid is healthy—might be the best in the NBA: Embiid, LeBron, Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brown, and second-year guard V.J. Edgecombe. For Lowe, the moment Bob Myers went on television and hinted at something big was the first clue. “Someone smart just said to me, why would he go on that show and potentially debase himself like that if he didn’t know something,” Lowe recalled.

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What you'll learn

1 (02:01) **LeBron to Philly: Breaking News & Initial Reactions** - Simmons and Lowe react live to the shocker that LeBron James has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.
2 (04:03) **"This Is a Title Run": Evaluating the Sixers' Ceiling** - Simmons and Lowe debate whether this team can win a championship, given Embiid's health and the roster construction.
3 (12:34) **Conspiracy Theories: Davis, Harden, and Draymond** - The hosts explore the validity of offseason rumors involving Anthony Davis, James Harden, and Draymond Green.
4 (18:56) **The Jalen Brown Factor: Chemistry or Trade Chip?** - The conversation shifts to Jalen Brown, who now joins a team with two former MVPs and an All-NBA guard.
5 (26:44) **Bronny, Closing Lineups, and the Boston Rivalry** - The hosts project the on-court product and the emotional stakes of the new-look Sixers.
6 (35:24) **Betting the Over/Under on a Title & Final Thoughts** - Simmons and Lowe place their bets on whether this team will actually win a championship.
7 (43:11) **Who Has the Most at Stake?** - The hosts conclude the LeBron segment by identifying the player under the most pressure.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Bill Simmons Zach Lowe

Show Notes

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Zach Lowe to react to LeBron James deciding to take his talents to Philadelphia. Then the guys redraft the 2011 NBA class.

(0:00) Intro

(1:14) LeBron signs with the Sixers

(45:07) 2011 NBA Redraftables

Host: Bill Simmons

Guest: Zach Lowe

Producers: Chia Hao Tat and Eduardo Ocampo

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