Shawn Marion knows how much talent resides in Philadelphia following the offseason additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.
The four-time All-Star also realizes all of that individual prowess could be a recipe for trouble.
Marion, who played with James on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ NBA Finals team in 2014-15, says a stacked lineup does not always equate to success when the chemistry is not right.
James and Brown are joining a Philadelphia 76ers team that already boasted former MVP Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe.
“There are a lot of guys over there and ain’t but one ball,” Marion told Action Network. “They don’t really call plays anymore so that’s the uniqueness of the game now, but a lot of guys don’t play well without the ball.
“Every star doesn’t play well together. We see it time and time again. We’re going to see how it rolls out. I’m optimistic, but I want to see what happens.”
The 76ers are among the favorites to win the NBA championship this season, so there is no doubt the high-profile additions have raised their profile.
It also helps that James is a willing facilitator and already took a back seat to Luka Doncic last year with the Lakers, proving that his ego would not hamper success.
But Embiid, Maxey and Brown are all used to being a major part of the offense, while Edgecombe averaged 16.0 points per game as a rookie and is a burgeoning young star.
Marion is in wait-and-see mode to find out whether all the individual talent can coalesce to make the 76ers a true contender.
Marion: Health Key Part of Equation in Philadelphia
The shot distribution may solve itself, because as Marion pointed out, some of the key players on the 76ers have a history of missing large stretches of games.
James is 41 years old now and a variety of injuries have kept him off the court in recent seasons. He is reportedly dealing with chronic left foot arthritis and lingering sciatica concerns.
Embiid is a decade younger but he hasn’t reached 40 games in a season for the past three years. He has dealt with a plethora of knee, foot and ankle injuries throughout his career.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in Philly,” Marion said. “Are they going to be healthy? What are they going to do?”
Marion: James’ Longevity Something to be Honored
Marion played with James more than a decade ago, when he was at the height of his powers in Cleveland.
James is still going strong, entering his NBA-record 24th season next week. Marion marvels at the staying power of James, who first entered the league out of high school in 2003-04.
James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game last season with the Lakers. He signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers this offseason.
“It’s unbelievable,” Marion said. “His longevity is something to be honored.”
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