76ers Exec Talks LeBron James Recruitment, Impact of Jaylen Brown Trade, Reveals Text from Rich Paul

To hear Philadelphia 76ers president Mike Gansey tell it, the Boston Celtics paved the way for LeBron James to end up in the City of Brotherly Love.

"Without getting Jaylen [Brown], I don't think we get LeBron," Gansey said during an interview with ESPN's Kevin Negandhi (1:48 mark). "… It changed the game for us."

Boston traded Brown to the 76ers before James made a decision in free agency. With Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey already in place, Philadelphia's front office decided to go for the King as well.

"After the Jaylen trade, LeBron was still out there," Gansey said. "We just said, 'hey, let's try to do a full-court press. Everyone reach out, sell him on Philly. I think if he comes, he can be the missing piece and we can be really good.'"

He said the long wait was "exciting, nerve-wracking," but it eventually ended when James' agent, Rich Paul, sent a group that included Gansey a text that said "Sixers it is, congrats."

Gansey said receiving that text "was a surreal moment. A moment I'll definitely remember forever."

It was an offseason of dominoes for the 76ers, who would have been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference with just the addition of Brown. After all, a trio of Maxey, Brown and Embiid gives them a potential All-Star playmaker in the backcourt, on the wing and down low and enough firepower to challenge the New York Knicks and others.

However, the addition of a legend such as James only elevates the ceiling even more.

Opposing defenses will have to pick their poison with the four stars, and that's not even including promising second-year player VJ Edgecombe. Edgecombe stuffed the stat sheet with 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals a night as a rookie and is someone who could benefit from the veteran leadership that comes with James joining the team.

All eyes will surely be on Philadelphia throughout the season, which is exactly what Gansey and the rest of the front office likely envisioned when deciding to chase James.