About two weeks into NBA free agency, LeBron James is still unsigned. Even at 41 years old, even as he considers contracts ranging from the non-taxpayer's mid-level exception to the veteran's minimum, James has the power to hold up the entire market.

At least four teams – the Sixers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat – have seemingly ceased transactions as they await James' decision. Several free agents are known to be waiting for James to choose a team so that their own markets can percolate.

James may be nearing the end of his historic career, but he is still a player worth putting everything on hold for. And in an Eastern Conference that is shaping up to be as deep and competitive as ever, James has the chance to put a team over the top.

In this week's 5 Sixers thoughts, examining the latest on James' free agency, evaluating the state of the Eastern Conference and more:

LeBron James contenders keep waiting

As Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul continues to convey – including on his podcast, where the Sixers have become a constant subject – there is no firm timeline for James. The NBA's all-time leading scorer is in no rush. Why would he rush? All of these teams have their offers, and they are not going to make any changes until James makes his call.

Assuming James does not join Stephen Curry and Draymond Green with the Warriors – an outcome that multiple reporters have indicated has become less likely with Golden State unable to acquire Anthony Davis from the Washington Wizards – the likely scenario appears to be that he will shift the balance of power in the Eastern Conference.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported last week that the Sixers, Cavaliers and Heat are the strongest candidates to win the James sweepstakes. That left other teams, like the Warriors, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, "on the periphery."

Odds are, James will sign with a team in the Eastern Conference, which he once ruled with an iron fist. Given the state of things on that side of the NBA, James' eventual decision has the chance to be incredibly consequential when it comes to championship odds.

MORE: Bob Myers makes Sixers' pitch to LeBron on agent's podcast

Eastern Conference as good as ever

The Sixers were the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference last season, but only one game behind the No. 5 seed. On paper, they are a better team now, and are likely banking on more availability from Joel Embiid.

There are favorable cases to be made for the Sixers over many of their conference competitors. But there are 10 teams that will enter the season with credible claims as high-caliber playoff contenders:

How many of these teams will definitely be better than the Sixers in the regular season? The defending champions in New York seem like a strong bet; the Knicks found a level of two-way cohesion in the playoffs that proves they are better than a 53-win mark would indicate. Beyond that, nobody seems like a lock to win more games than a team with Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe.

But how many of the teams listed above can the Sixers say with confidence they will be better than? Some might pick the Atlanta Hawks as the low-hanging fruit, but it is worth noting that the Hawks went 29-15 after trading Trae Young, putting them on a 54-win pace over a considerable sample. Orlando is running back a roster that won the same number of games as the Sixers, but a new head coach and more than 34 games of Franz Wagner could set the Magic up for the leap most expected to see last season.

Even if the Heat cannot convince James to return to Miami, two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo should anchor a defense as good as any in the league. Indiana was two quarters away from winning a championship, and now they will get Tyrese Haliburton back and add Ivica Zubac to the mix, with former Sixers wing Kelly Oubre Jr. serving as a valuable bench piece.

One team, which has arguably made the most significant acquisition of the offseason, suddenly is in a state of flux. It indirectly impacts the Sixers.

Latest on Kawhi Leonard trade

On June 30, the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers agreed to a trade, sending Kawhi Leonard back to the team he led to its only championship in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and a valuable collection of distant draft picks. On Thursday, news broke via the pair of teams involved that the deal will be on hold until the NBA delivers a ruling in the ongoing investigation surrounding Leonard, the Clippers and credible accusations of salary cap circumvention.

According to multiple reporters, all parties involved expect the trade to eventually be executed, sending Leonard back to Toronto to form a new contender in the Eastern Conference while enabling Los Angeles to finally embrace a rebuild with no holds barred. While the 2028 unprotected first-rounder acquired by the Sixers from the Clippers in the James Harden deal is now likely headed to Boston – a breakdown of the complicated terms of the Brown trade can be found here – its landing spot could still matter to the Sixers, depending on where their own pick lands.

More importantly, the Sixers have maintained their right to swap 2029 first-round picks with the Clippers. That swap right is only top-three protected, so the Sixers still have a good bit of investment in the Clippers struggling as this decade nears its end. They would certainly be better off with the proposed trade between Los Angeles and Toronto going through as planned, as the prized assets going to the Clippers would not convey until 2031 and 2033.

If the trade does go through as promised, expect the Raptors to have one of the NBA's most dominant defenses and a serious chance to compete for an NBA Finals berth. Toronto had a top-five defense last year and should replace Ingram, a negative on that end of the floor, with Leonard, still capable of guarding at an elite level. Leonard is also a massive upgrade over Ingram offensively; the Raptors and their best players were consistently better without Ingram on the floor. The enormity of the upgrade the Raptors made, in tandem with expected growth from younger players already on roster, cannot be understated.

MORE: Anfernee Simons is the shooter the Sixers need – at what cost?

Kyle Lowry retires in Toronto

Speaking of Toronto, last week former Sixers guard Kyle Lowry officially signed a one-day contract and held a retirement press conference in the city he views as a second home. 

In Toronto, Lowry is frequently referred to as the "GROAT," which stands for the greatest Raptor of all time. He certainly earned that moniker, and the love and appreciate Raptors fans have for the Philadelphia native was on full display during his final trip to Scotiabank Arena as an active player last season.

Guerschon Yabusele heads back overseas

And on the subject of former Sixers, Guerschon Yabusele is officially leaving the NBA again after two seasons of being back in the league. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Yabusele agreed to a three-year contract with Panathinaikos in Greece which will make him one of the three highest-paid players in Europe.

After a standout run during the 2024 Olympics for Team France, the Sixers took a chance on Yabusele with a one-year contract at the minimum salary. He was one of the lone bright spots of a miserable campaign, playing well enough to price himself out of Philadelphia. He signed a two-year deal with the New York Knicks, with a salary of $5.5 million in 2025-26 and a player option worth nearly $5.8 million for 2026-27. But after a frustrating and fruitless tenure in New York, Yabusele agreed to forfeit that player option to facilitate a trade.

Yabusele's sacrifice helped enable the Knicks to acquire Jose Alvarado, eventually a key cog of their title run and now re-signed on a three-year deal with his hometown team. Yabusele's posts on social media have been flooded with thankful and encouraging replies from Knicks fans, understanding of what Yabusele giving up that option enabled their team to achieve.

JAYLEN BROWN FILM STUDIES

Strengths | Weaknesses