Ex-76ers Center Paul Reed Calls Out LeBron James for a Flop.

Ex-76ers Center Paul Reed Calls Out LeBron James Flop After Rough Night

Lakers vs Kings Best Cars: LeBron James’s No-Reserve Maybach Is for Sale, but He Plays for the 76ers Now.

That headline isn't a typo.

It's the frame for a story that keeps getting stranger by the week.

While LeBron James is averaging 15.7 points per game for the Philadelphia 76ers — the lowest full-season scoring average of his career — a car he designed during his Lakers years is about to hit the auction block.

And in the middle of all that, former Sixers center Paul Reed decided to call out LeBron for a flop.

Reed, who played for Philadelphia from 2020 through 2024, made the comment after a game where things got physical.

The clip spread fast.

Fans who remember Reed's nickname "BBQ Chicken" — given to him by Joel Embiid during practice — are split.

Some say Reed has a point.

Others say he's just salty about being out of the league.

Here's what we know for sure.

THE FLOP IN QUESTION

Paul Reed accused LeBron James of flopping during a recent game.

The exact moment hasn't been officially released by the league, but multiple sources confirm Reed made the remark after the final buzzer.

Reed did not provide video evidence in his initial comment.

He did not name a specific play.

But the accusation alone was enough to get the NBA world talking.

Flopping has been a point of emphasis for the league in recent seasons.

The NBA introduced a new anti-flopping policy before the 2023-24 season, allowing referees to issue technical fouls for obvious flops during games.

Players can also be fined for egregious flops after a league review.

LeBron James has been fined for flopping before.

In 2013, he was fined $5,000 for a flop during a playoff game against the Chicago Bulls.

He has not been fined for flopping since the new policy took effect.

Reed's accusation, if proven, could result in a fine for James.

But the league has not announced any investigation or review.

LEBRON'S NEW HOME

LeBron James is now a Philadelphia 76er.

He left the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons, telling the team on June 30, 2026, that he would play elsewhere in 2026-27.

Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said the Lakers would "always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers."

James now wears No. 23 for the Sixers.

Through seven games, he is averaging 15.7 points, 8.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds.

He is not the team's leading scorer.

That title belongs to Tyrese Maxey, who is averaging 24.3 points per game.

Joel Embiid is averaging 22.1 points.

Paul George is averaging 18.4 points.

James ranks fourth on the team in scoring.

Yet the Sixers are 8-1, sitting atop the Eastern Conference.

They have beaten the defending-champion New York Knicks twice.

BILL SIMMONS WEIGHS IN

Bill Simmons, the longtime NBA analyst and podcaster, recently argued that LeBron James was "miserable" during his final season with the Lakers.

"He obviously has a great relationship with Maxey," Simmons said.

"I don't think the relationship with Luka [Dončić] was good. And I think we can safely say that. LeBron last year seemed pretty miserable the whole season and knew it wasn't his team."

Simmons pointed to James' decreased role as evidence.

During the 2025-26 season with the Lakers, James averaged 20.9 points per game — third on the team behind Luka Dončić (33.5) and Austin Reaves (23.3).

The Lakers finished 53-29, earning the fourth seed in the Western Conference.

They were swept in the semifinals by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Simmons believes James sees Philadelphia differently.

"You can see the light bulb going off with him," Simmons said.

"Like 'Holy [expletive], I might actually have a chance to make the Finals.'"

THE MAYBACH

While all this is happening, a car LeBron James designed during his Lakers years is going up for auction.

The car is a 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S 680.

James specified the build through Mercedes-Benz's MANUFAKTUR program.

He had two built and kept one.

The car has a 6.0-liter V-12 engine making 621 horsepower.

The paint is Light Ivory over Stormy Weather Blue Nappa leather.

The fenders feature a crown-shaped "LJ" logo.

The center console is engraved with the GPS coordinates of Akron, Ohio.

The auction estimate is $425,000 to $550,000.

There is no reserve — meaning the highest bid wins regardless of price.

The full hammer price goes to the LeBron James Family Foundation.

The auction is scheduled for November 20 and November 21 at the Javits Center in New York.

Both sessions start at 11 a.m. EST.

Gooding Christie's is handling the sale.

PAUL REED'S HISTORY WITH THE SIXERS

Paul Reed was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft.

He played four seasons with the team, from 2020 to 2024.

His nickname "BBQ Chicken" was given to him by Joel Embiid during a practice session.

Embiid said Reed was so easy to score on that he was "BBQ chicken."

Reed embraced the nickname.

He averaged 5.1 points and 3.7 rebounds over his Sixers career.

After the 2023-24 season, he signed with the Detroit Pistons.

He was waived by the Pistons in February 2025.

He has not played in the NBA since.

Reed currently plays for the Delaware Blue Coats, the Sixers' G League affiliate.

That means he is still in the Philadelphia organization, just not on the main roster.

THE FLOPS AND FINES

Flopping has been part of NBA culture for decades.

The league first introduced a anti-flopping policy in 2012.

Under that system, players were fined after a league review — $5,000 for a first offense, up to $30,000 for a fifth.

In 2023, the league changed the rules.

Now, referees can issue a technical foul during the game for an obvious flop.

The technical foul counts as a personal foul and a team foul.

After the game, the league can still fine players for egregious flops.

The fine amounts are the same as before: $5,000 for a first offense, up to $30,000 for a fifth.

LeBron James has been fined under both systems.

In 2013, he was fined $5,000 for a flop in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Chicago Bulls.