LeBron James Tells 76ers Rookie Labaron Philon to Take the Floater and Stop Deferring

PHILADELPHIA — LeBron James pulled rookie guard Labaron Philon aside during a recent 76ers scrimmage and told him to take the shot he had available instead of passing it to the veteran.

Tony Jones of The Athletic reported on Oct. 12 that Philon had an opening for a floater after penetrating the defense. He passed the ball to James. James called him over and told him he should have taken it himself.

"He told me that I had to be myself," Philon told The Athletic. "I had a floater that was available to me, and I didn't take it. I needed to take it."

James, 41, is in his 24th NBA season and his first with the 76ers after signing with Philadelphia this offseason. The team also added Jaylen Brown and other veterans to a roster that already included Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. The result is a group with high individual talent and limited shared minutes so far.

"Obviously, this has been a small sample size for us, and we're still trying to learn each other on the floor," James told reporters, according to The Athletic. "We're still trying to put each other in a position to be successful and complement each other the best way we can."

Jones reported that teammates have arrived at practice to find James already finished with a workout. He has also spent time building relationships with Maxey, Embiid and Brown. The message to Philon was consistent with that approach: the younger players are expected to play their own games rather than defer solely because James is on the floor.

Philadelphia's first preseason game offered an early look at how James is using the ball. On Oct. 8 against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center, he played about 18 minutes, scored 10 points, had five assists and four rebounds, and took only one official field goal. All five assists came in the first quarter. He found VJ Edgecombe near the basket and Maxey for a three-pointer. The Nets won 114-108.

The 76ers open the regular season with expectations elevated by the additions of James and Brown. Chemistry among that many established players is not automatic. James's instruction to Philon was specific: an available floater should be taken. The quote from Philon and the quote from James are the only direct statements on the exchange that have been published. No further details of the scrimmage have been released by the team.