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Big things are expected of LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers this season, and NBA icon Shaquille O'Neal sees a potential obstacle the team could run into while trying to snap the New York Knicks' chances of winning a second championship in a row. Speaking to ClutchPoints about his latest partnership with General Mills, Shaq conceded that Knicks fans certainly should “keep an eye” on the Sixers. However, there is still a possibility that the superteam fails to meet expectations. “The team has enough talent to make a deep run,” Shaq said of the 76ers, “but the question is whether everybody accepts their role, shares the ball, and stays healthy.” He isn't wrong. The 76ers look locked and loaded for the 2026-27 season. However, chemistry and health can't be measured on paper. The Sixers will have a chance to prove themselves against the Knicks early, though. They open their preseason playing the Knicks, and they will visit Madison Square Garden on Oct. 20 in their season opener. Are LeBron James and the 76ers the biggest threat to the Knicks' repeat? On paper, LeBron and the 76ers should pose a threat to the Knicks. Not only did they add James, but they also acquired Jaylen Brown, a five-time All-Star and former champion with the Boston Celtics. However, the entire Eastern Conference should be better. The Celtics may have traded Brown, but they got back Paul George in the deal and stole Mitchell Robinson from the Knicks. The 60-win Detroit Pistons retooled by adding John Collins and Isaiah Joe, and they should bring back Jalen Duren. The Cleveland Cavaliers just made a splashy move by acquiring Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets, while the Miami Heat traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo. There's also that whole thing with Kawhi Leonard going back to the Toronto Raptors, assuming the deal finally goes through after the Los Angeles Clippers investigation. Plus, the Indiana Pacers will be getting Tyrese Haliburton back after he sat out the 2025-26 season due to his torn Achilles injury suffered in the NBA Finals in 2025. However, the Knicks were very resilient during the playoffs. They swept the 76ers (without James) during their run to the NBA Finals.