How LeBron James can give Sixers' half-court offense a new wrinkle

How LeBron James can give Sixers' half-court offense a new wrinkle originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LeBron James made a triumphant Sixers debut on Tuesday, exhibiting how he’ll help put the pieces together on this new-look roster.

James played the role of connector on offense against the Knicks, not often initiating himself, but utilizing his elite passing and basketball IQ to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. He totaled 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Working in the pick-and-roll with Tyrese Maxey was one example of that within the Sixers’ half-court offense. The two are an enticing pairing. Maxey brings stellar shooting and out-of-this-world acceleration, while James can attack downhill and pick defenses apart as a passer.

They also have the established chemistry that contributed to James’ decision to come to Philadelphia.

“A lot of the reason why I’m here is because of him,” James told reporters after the Sixers’ preseason finale against the Celtics. 

Everyone knows James has a well-rounded game. However, he has not been the roll man in pick-and-rolls at a high volume throughout his career.

In the 2025-26 season, James averaged just 0.8 possessions per game as the roll man. Since the NBA started tracking pick-and-rolls in 2015-16, the most James has done that came in 2023-24, but still at just 1.5 possessions per game.

He’s shown that he can be effective setting a pick and rolling. Since the start of the 2015-16 season, he’s scored 1.25 points per possession as the roll man, which would have ranked in the 76th percentile last season. It’s just not something he’s done much.

“The luxury of my game is I can do everything,” James said at his media day press conference. “Literally, I can do everything.”

He’s played into that versatility in the very early days of his Sixers tenure. James has been working with Maxey as the picker in empty-side ball screens.

The advantage of an empty-side ball screen is how far off-ball defenders have to rotate to help. It gives Maxey and James more space to operate and creates cleaner reads.

“It’s a good set for us. It’s a good movement for us,” James said following the preseason finale when asked about his two-man game with Maxey. “It’s good to know we have that in our back pocket whenever we need it. It’s a connection that we have.”

That connection was on display early in the regular-season opener.

In the first quarter, James set a down screen for Maxey near the break. They then used a dribble handoff to catch Jalen Brunson off guard and get Maxey open for a baseline jumper. 

It was a nice look at that chemistry between the two and highlighted James’ comfort being the screener that a guard like Maxey can work off of.

The two of them were back at it in the second quarter. James set the same empty-side ball screen. After Mikal Bridges iced it, Maxey rejected the screen and burst towards the baseline. James’ defender, Andre Drummond, dropped to help. That left James open at the free throw line after a short roll. 

The defense collapsed on him once he caught the ball. The slightest of pass fakes to Anfernee Simons sent OG Anunoby and Brunson flying toward the far corner. The fake meant Jaylen Brown had nobody near him in the dunker spot.

The savvy from James on that play underscored the menace he can be as a passer off a short roll. Especially if he’s playing as a small-ball center, like he was during that stint, James can punish a defender who drops to support towards the ball handler. James playing the five has downsides, but how he can attack slower-footed centers is a benefit.

James also still possesses the size and strength to exploit switches against guards. With around 3:30 left in the first, he set a ball screen for VJ Edgecombe that forced Landry Shamet and Josh Hart to switch the matchup. 

Despite a bump from Drummond on the roll, James successfully played bully ball against Shamet in the paint.

James was good facilitating offense after setting screens on Tuesday. Where he can be better is finishing when he gets the rock off of the roll. There were a couple occasions when he didn’t convert on a pass from Maxey off the empty-side ball screen. 

Late in the first half, Maxey hit him on the roll off a dribble handoff. James took a dribble and started to go up with the ball, but Miles McBride rotated over and tied him up, forcing a jump ball. 

In the fourth quarter, Maxey and James went back to the same ball screen. Maxey threw him a bounce pass and James drove into Hart before missing a contested layup.

On a high pick-and-roll a few minutes beforehand, James passed up an open jump shot at the top of the key to drive towards the basket against OG Anunoby. He ended up settling for a bad shot.

“I can be a lot better, still getting my rhythm,” James told NBC’s Zora Stephenson after the win.

James was good playing to his strengths on Tuesday. As a connector in half-court offense and a finisher in transition, he was true to form. 

Once he and Maxey work together more in the two-man game, he should find his groove as a half-court scorer, too. He has, after all, scored more points than anyone else in NBA history. 

That dynamic could give the Sixers offense a changeup pitch that it has lacked. Pairing a true rolling threat with Embiid’s tendency to pick-and-pop could keep defenses on their toes. Plus, if and when Embiid misses time, James can still provide playmaking off the pick-and-roll as a small-ball center. 

Even if he’s not the isolation scorer he was in his prime, James is still a creation hub. Some of that will come off setting screens for others. If he can score off those looks as well, he’ll present yet another problem for opposing defenses to solve against the Sixers.