CAMDEN, N.J. -- The Philadelphia 76ers will continue to further integrate LeBron James into everything they want to do in the upcoming season. The Sixers will continue to lean on the future Hall of Famer and have him lead this group to a place he has been to four times already in his illustrious career: the mountaintop of the NBA.
The Sixers have a strong team around him, but James is the one with the pedigree, the high basketball IQ, and the ability to do everything while out on the basketball court. It's just part of who he is and what he brings to the floor.
Somebody like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, another newcomer to this group, has seen it up close with James during their time together with the Los Angeles Lakers. He's just getting comfortable right now.
"I think his impact," Caldwell-Pope said of James. "Just his presence. His leadership, just being here. Speaking when you see things on the floor. I think he's still trying to learn everything as far as like what to say on the court, you know, what's the calls. Stuff like that and once he's learned that, I think everything's gonna be great. Right now, he's still trying to figure it out."
James is certainly still learning how to run things when considering how coach Nick Nurse wants things done, but the Sixers are also feeling his impact. In the one preseason game he did play, he had 10 points, five assists, and four rebounds and was able to make himself known within the offensive ecosystem. His playmaking was something that stood out to Dean Wade.
"I don’t think anybody sees what he sees," Wade marveled of James. "Like he sees everything two steps before it happens. It is so impressive. Even to just like watch, but being a part of it, like he almost throws it to you before you're open, before you even know you're open. Like you get it, you turn, you're like, ‘Oh my God, I'm open.’ Like it's kind of like one of those things."
Obviously, James has won MVPs, finals MVPs, been to plenty of All-Star games, won championships, is the game's all-time leading scorer in the history of the NBA, and the Sixers will certainly be better with his presence. However, his playmaking is an underrated part of his game.
"Like he sees the game so well, and obviously, everything, all the accolades he's got, he's been one of the greatest passers the games ever seen," Wade finished. "You always kind of got to have your head on a swivel and paying attention because at any time, like that thing can be coming to you. Whenever you're open, I'm talking, it's like in the pocket, on the money. It's fun to play with."
The Sixers have one final preseason game on Friday when they host the Boston Celtics.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: 76ers' Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Dean Wade discuss LeBron James impact