Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal said LeBron James’ new Philadelphia 76ers lineup may fail because four established stars could struggle to share offensive roles.
O’Neal gave the assessment on the latest episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq. “It’s too many egos,” he said. He added that Philadelphia looked “deadly” on paper, according to Fadeaway World.
The former Los Angeles Lakers centre focused on Tyrese Maxey’s role. Maxey developed into a primary option before Philadelphia added Jaylen Brown and James alongside Joel Embiid.
Shaq says LeBron joining the 76ers wouldn’t work because of one thing
Host: Philadelphia is waiting to explode, and if he delivers it, this city will ride for LeBron.
Shaquille O’Neal: And that’s why it’s not going to work, in my opinion. Tyrese Maxey just worked his ass off to… pic.twitter.com/15rnI7Zf6r
— ً (@heisdenji) August 1, 2026O’Neal questioned whether Maxey would defer after working to become the team’s leading player. He said “three or four people” would need to sacrifice touches for the lineup to function.
Reports about the recruiting process present a different view. ESPN’s Shams Charania said Brown helped bring James to Philadelphia and intended to approach the partnership without ego. Maxey also helped recruit James, according to Fadeaway World.
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James agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option after Brown joined Philadelphia in a trade. The four-time NBA champion enters his 24th season alongside Brown, Embiid, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, The Guardian reported.
