Keith Pompey on 76ers' Pursuit of LeBron James: Prepared to Do Whatever It Takes

The Philadelphia 76ers are seen as one of a handful of contenders for LeBron James in free agency. They're reportedly well aware of this and planning to try to bring the four-time MVP to Philly.

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported the Sixers are "prepared to do whatever it takes" to sign James, who is expected to opt out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer.

James, 33, can sign a contract for around $35 million for 2018-19, depending on the salary cap. The Sixers are one of only a few teams that can clear that amount of space without sacrificing any foundational pieces.

Basketball Insiders has Philadelphia set at $67.4 million in guaranteed contracts. The 76ers will almost certainly exercise cheap team options on T.J. McConnell and Richaun Holmes, taking their number to about $70.6 million.

At the beginning of the 2017-18 season, the NBA projected a salary cap of $101 million for 2018-19, though that won't be finalized until the new league year begins. If the league underestimated, it's possible the Sixers could sign James outright. Otherwise, it will take creative accounting—though a sign-and-trade or other mechanisms could make things happen.

The Sixers may be attractive to James for a number of reasons. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are rising stars who can help take a load off his shoulders as he enters his mid-30s. Simmons and James are both signed to Klutch Sports, the agency run by James' longtime friend Rich Paul.

Philly also has the pieces to add a fourth star via trade. It's possible to imagine a scenario in which the Sixers add James in free agency and then Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs via trade. Depending on how low Leonard's trade value has sunk, a package of Markelle Fultz, Robert Covington and draft picks might be a good start.

But the Sixers will have competition, perhaps most notably the Houston Rockets. Houston has longtime James friend Chris Paul in the mix to go along with James Harden and Clint Capela, and James would help create a compelling Big Four. It'd also be fun to watch coach Mike D'Antoni work with a preternatural passer like James.