The news of LeBron James joining the Sixers prompted so many submissions for our weekly Sixers mailbag that I had no choice but to file a bonus mailbag just a day later.

Philadelphia is experiencing pandemonium in the aftermath of the NBA's all-time leading scorer electing to conclude his legendary career with the Sixers. And it is particularly surreal to take in given the degree to which the city had turned on this team over the last two years.

For a nightmarish 2024-25 season to turn into a roller coaster in 2025-26, and have that bizarre period lead directly into what has transpired over the last four weeks – first a blockbuster trade for Jaylen Brown, then the James signing – is still hard to fathom.

There is no use in wasting time. Shall we dive into more questions?

From @SirEmbiid: When can the Sixers trade their first-round picks again, I'm assuming 2027 draft day? And is there any loophole to get around this?

This question references last week's 5 Sixers thoughts, which pointed out that the Sixers' only tradable first-round pick right now is their 2033 first-rounder. The Brown trade severely limited their future trade optionality when it comes to first-round picks.

Barring a trade which nets them a future first-round pick in one of the years they are currently not guaranteed to have one (2028 or 2031), the Sixers will not be able to trade more than one future first-round pick until the 2028 NBA Draft. They are limited by the infamous Stepien Rule, which disallows teams from being without a first-round pick in consecutive future drafts.

If the Sixers end up with a first-round pick in 2028 (this will depend on the extremely complicated obligation they sent to the Boston Celtics for that season), they would immediately be able to trade their 2029 first-rounder should they choose to do so (they currently own top-three protected swap rights with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2029). At that point, the Sixers' 2035 first-round pick would also be eligible to be dealt alongside the 2033 pick already trade-eligible. The Sixers could also deal their 2034 first-rounder at that point, but it would prevent them from trading either of the 2033 or 2035 picks.

If the Sixers do not end up with a 2028 first-rounder, they would have to wait until that draft concludes to be able to trade their 2029 first-rounder, and could do it alongside the 2033 and/or 2035 pick, or the 2034 pick on its own.

To answer your question in a more direct and simple fashion: the Sixers have about two years ahead of them being limited to one tradable first-round pick. Beyond that, they are limited to utilizing their (strong) collection of second-rounders and potentially offering teams the right to swap with their frozen first-round picks.

MORE: Long-term options in trades, dissecting Dean Wade and more

From @emoney5823.bsky.social: What are the options to find a backup center if the rostered guys don't work out?

There are always at least a few players capable of playing in a playoff rotation to hit the buyout market; James' teams have often been very strong suitors for those pieces. It is a bit too early to project what that market will look like with any sort of confidence, but it is a market which has helped the Sixers before. Whether it was Kyle Lowry in 2024 or the tandem of Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli in 2018, history suggests the Sixers can get real lifts from buyout players.

It was truly incredible to put out a call for Sixers mailbag questions the day after arguably the greatest player in NBA history joined the team and get absolutely flooded with questions about... the backup center spot. And, to be fair, that is the clear weakness of this team from a depth chart standpoint.

Should Adem Bona, Ariel Hukporti and a slew of small-ball options including James, Dean Wade, Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker fail to find a way to stabilize the backup five spot behind Joel Embiid, the Sixers will only have some trade optionality. Unless they are willing to part with Wade or Anfernee Simons, currently projected to be their top two bench contributors, the Sixers will not be able to take back much more salary than they sent out, especially if they trade two players for one.

The most cost-effective, salary-cap-friendly way for the Sixers to address their backup center issue midseason would be finding a quality option on a very small contract, something resembling the $3.4 million deal given to Hukporti.

This year's crop of centers in that salary range is not incredibly appetizing to me. One option that makes a ton of sense: Yves Missi of the New Orleans Pelicans, a former first-round pick entering his third year continuing to find himself at the center of trade rumors. So far, New Orleans has been hesitant to pull the trigger on a deal for Missi, but Derik Queen is clearly the Pelicans' center of the future.

Missi will make about $3.5 million next season and has a team option for approximately $5.6 million in 2027-28 which New Orleans will pick up by the end of October. He is entering his age-22 season and is a legitimately good player capable of being the most consistent backup of Embiid's career, with the requisite youth and skillset to have a chance at growing into the long-term starting center behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

The Sixers would have to pay up to land Missi. Does that mean trading that 2033 first-round pick? Could rookie first-rounder Labaron Philion Jr. be on the table? There are arguments for and against trading either of those assets for Missi, but his combination of youth, production and cost-effective contract make him the right kind of backup center to at least consider going all-in on.

A potential option much cheaper in terms of trade cost but more expensive in terms of salary: Jaxson Hayes, now a member of the Utah Jazz. Hayes developed a strong rapport with James as a screen-setting, rim-running, lob-catching center, and it earned him a $6 million contract in Utah with a team option for the same figure the following season. Hayes is an imperfect player with off-court baggage, but is one of several rotation-caliber bigs on the Jazz. Regardless of how Utah's season pans out, he could be available, and James has a history of reuniting with former teammates in new locations.

Speaking of that...

MORE: Yesterday's mailbag (biggest Sixers concern, backup center options, more)

From @ykyk226: With the new addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, do you see him being integrated into the second unit (Philon / Simons / KCP / Wade / Bona or Barlow) or being pushed to the end of a bench as more of a “vet vibes” guy?

I posted a tweet in the aftermath of the Sixers' reported agreement with Caldwell-Pope that, in my opinion, he was more likely to be a situational rotation player than a full-blown regular. It seemed to cause some consternation, but Sixers head coach Nick Nurse has typically liked having nine regulars.

After the starting five, Wade, Simons and a backup center, that leaves one spot for Caldwell-Pope and Dominick Barlow. Given the enormity of Caldwell-Pope's struggles over the last two seasons and the degree to which Barlow contributed last year – he started 59 of his 71 games for the Sixers last year – I lean towards the 23-year-old Barlow having a stronger case to play every night.

Regardless, the Caldwell-Pope acquisition has a chance to be meaningful, and he absolutely could play his way into a nightly role. While his poor form two years ago in Orlando was surprising given his pristine theoretical fit with that Magic team, he was woefully miscast on last year's Memphis Grizzlies. There is more left in the tank there, and at the very least the two-time champion is a logical reinforcement on nights James or another rotation staple is sidelined.

As I alluded to in yesterday's mailbag, I believe Caldwell-Pope has a much stronger rotation case on this team than Philon, whose slight frame and reliance on on-ball usage to drive value make him a harder fit on this star-studded roster. Caldwell-Pope's game is designed to work alongside elite players, which works in his favor.

Caldwell-Pope is definitely more than a "vibes guy"; that will remain true even if he does not break through as a key rotation piece. But for a veteran's minimum salary on a team flooded with high-usage stars, this signing is absolutely a worthy use of a roster spot, regardless of the ultimate size of his role.

SIXERS SIGN LEBRON JAMES

Evaluating James' decision and fit | Projecting Nick Nurse's new-look rotation