‘YOU JOINED THE EAST FAVORITES!’ – Skip Bayless Accuses LeBron James of ‘Ring Chasing’ After 76ers Move
· Yahoo Sports
Skip Bayless joined the NBA world in reacting to LeBron James’ decision on Friday to join the Philadelphia 76ers. The talk show host, a known and unapologetic critic of the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar, wasted little time in sharing his thoughts about James signing a two-year, $8 million deal to play in Philly.
As usual, Bayless didn’t hold back after James ended his three-week hold-up in free agency by going to a team loaded with talent.
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Skip Bayless Blasts LeBron James’ 76ers Move, Calls It a Ring-Chasing Decision
The 76ers were reportedly not on James’ radar until they acquired Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics. Without giving up VJ Edgecombe or Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia now has a stacked core that is as good, if not better, than any NBA team.
After nearly a month of speculation, the 22-time All-Star snubbed the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Cleveland Cavaliers, the other frontrunners to get his signature.
A few hours after news broke that James is now a 76er, Bayless reacted.
“CONGRATS, LEBRON! YOU MADE THE OBVIOUS RING-CHASING CHOICE! YOU JOINED THE EAST FAVORITES!” Bayless tweeted.
On Friday’s “The Skip Bayless Show,” the veteran sports journalist added more context to his message.
“This wasn’t about basketball happiness! … This was about ring chasing. What team gave LeBron James the best chance to win a fifth, maybe even a sixth championship? It was obviously from the start the Philadelphia 76ers,” Bayless said.
According to Bayless, the 41-year-old superstar wouldn’t take his talents to the Golden State Warriors, which the podcaster named the “Olden State,” if James had gone there.
Bayless continued that he didn’t predict the Timberwolves to win the James sweepstakes, as the 21-time All-NBA wouldn’t want to live in Minneapolis.
The Cavaliers offered a storybook ending, but Bayless didn’t see this version of James as the right fit on that roster.
For the former Fox Sports talk show host, the “happiness” driven decision for James would have been to take his talents back to South Beach, where he could compete for a championship and play golf “all year round.”
The allure of returning to a place where he won two championships and where Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo now lead the roster was not enough to sway James.
Bayless said that it was a no-brainer for James to choose Philadelphia after the 76ers pulled off what he called the “steal of the century” by getting Brown.
The analyst also argued that Maxey and VJ Edgecombe provide enviable youth and speed to surround a player entering his 24th NBA season.
Finally, there is Joel Embiid, who, when healthy, Bayless called the closest the NBA has seen to a Shaquille O’Neal.
Bayless’ criticism of James isn’t new or surprising. Over the past few years, he has been taking shots at the Akron, Ohio, native’s championships, claiming they were won by stacking his teams.
James likely knew he would be criticized regardless of which team he chose to play for. Bayless took his shots, but the only thing that matters to the 76ers’ brand-new acquisition is a chance to win championship No. 5.