LeBron James may have been on his way out of Cleveland well before the Cavaliers fell victim to the Golden State Warriors for the third time in four years. And that's not only because he apparently broke his own hand after Game 1 frustrations and then, in Game 4, found himself helpless for at least a full quarter of Golden State's clinching win.
The Cavs superstar admitted he has "no idea" what his future holds after Friday's unsurprising but resounding defeat, but everyone and their mother and their burner accounts expects King James will be headed elsewhere in 2018-19. Players like Joel Embiid, in fact, wasted no time tweeting virtual welcome mats his way as the Warriors basked in yet another confetti shower.
But the biggest pitch may have come from the stands, even if LeBron may not have noticed it during the game. (Actually, considering how much time the lopsided score enabled him to watch from the bench at the end, maybe he did notice it.)
And that pitch came from the NFL's own champions, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Embiid's 76ers have long been linked to James as the City of Brotherly Love looks to emerge as a perennial playoff contender, and three of the most prominent faces of the city's title-winning team were in the house at Quicken Loans Arena -- team owner Jeffrey Lurie, quarterback Carson Wentz and tight end Zach Ertz, who had the Eagles' game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LII.
🏆 🦅 @cj_wentz x @ZERTZ_86! #NBACelebRow pic.twitter.com/G8rddjVdj6
— NBA (@NBA) June 9, 2018
Carson Wentz and Zach Ertz in the house for Game 4 pic.twitter.com/ZZArsukEiu
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 9, 2018
And don't get it twisted. They weren't there to see Steph Curry win another trophy. They were there to bring James back with them to Philly. (Or maybe Jose Calderon -- you be the judge.) Wentz and Ertz admitted as much on Twitter after the game, saying: "We're here for one reason only ... #CompleteTheProcess."
We’re here for one reason only... #CompleteTheProcess https://t.co/IWLynzUT2b
— Zach Ertz (@ZERTZ_86) June 9, 2018
— Carson Wentz (@cj_wentz) June 9, 2018
James, who previously left the Cavaliers in 2010 for a four-year stint with the Miami Heat, has gone on record calling Wentz his favorite NFL player, so you can start pre-ordering your No. 23 Sixers gear now.