LeBron James said he wants to go to a team that ‘trusts the process’ — but claimed it’s not a Sixers hint

Hey, LeBron, could you say that again?

On Friday, during a live taping of LeBron James’ The Shop talk show at Fanatics Fest, the four-time champion used some choice words while describing what team he would like to join next.

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“I want to compete at a high level,” James said on stage at the Javits Center in New York City. “I want to join a franchise that kind of shares the same, you know, model as myself. And that’s like practicing championship habits every day, but trusting the process more than anything. I think you actually trust the process of actually getting to that point.”

Cheers from the festival’s crowd interrupted James’ thought after he said “trust the process” a second time — for good reason. The phrase, popularized by former 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie and later adopted by Sixers star Joel Embiid, has since become synonymous with the team. James, noticing what he said, quickly clarified his comments.

“I’ve been saying ‘to trust the process’ since I was drafted in like 2003,” James said. “I don’t even know if Embiid was even born yet.”

It seems that James’ “trust the process” comment was just a coincidence and not a hint toward his next team. Or was it?

On Thursday, during a live recording of James’ podcast Mind the Game, his co-host and Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton also seemed to not-so-subtly drop the Sixers in conversation. Haliburton asked James, “What are you going on, what is this … Year 76?”

James has not otherwise spoken about his free agency — and shut Haliburton down when he tried to broach the subject.

The idea of James joining the Sixers a few months ago seemed near-impossible. Today, a few weeks after the team’s blockbuster trade for former Celtics star Jaylen Brown, it is a genuine possibility that the all-time great wraps up his career in Philadelphia.

James’ agent and Klutch Sports head Rich Paul has already confirmed that the Sixers are a possible landing spot for his longtime client, and even had Bob Myers on his podcast, where the Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment president made his pitch. The Sixers front office has also made their interest public, with team president of basketball operations Mike Gansey telling The Inquirer on Tuesday that he would “love to have [James] in Philly.” Additionally, Embiid, Brown, and Tyrese Maxey, who has been pointed to as one of the main things attracting James to Philly, have already been in contact with the future Hall of Famer, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

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With James’ “trust the process” comment, Sixers fans have gone full conspiracy mode on social media. Some are even celebrating as if it is confirmation James is headed to Philadelphia.

Friday marks 18 days since NBA free agency began. And James said on CNBC’s Boardroom on Thursday that “that he “won’t hold you guys up too much longer.” But some Sixers and NBA fans are fed up with James for taking so long to make a decision: