James says helping Embiid win title influenced 76ers move

LeBron James said his desire to help Joel Embiid win his first NBA championship was one of the most important reasons he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, alongside his friendship with guard Tyrese Maxey. James made the comments on the Mind the Game podcast with Steve Nash, explaining his motivations for joining the team this offseason. James said Embiid has achieved many of the league’s top individual honors but has not won a championship, and that he wants to try to help him earn his first. He also said Embiid has carried the city’s hopes through what James described as a decade or more of The Process, the 76ers’ long-running team-building effort. James identified his relationship with Maxey as another factor in his decision. He said Maxey was among the first people to contact him after James decided he would not return to the Los Angeles Lakers. The two share an agent and have been friends and workout partners, according to reporting on James’s comments. The 41-year-old signed a two-year, $8 million contract with Philadelphia in July, according to reports.