LeBron James Signs 2-Year, $8 Million Deal With Philadelphia 76ers
LeBron James is signing a 2-year, $8 million deal to play for the Philadelphia 76ers, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. James has a player option for the 2027-28 season. Charania reported on air “there’s a real chance he plays both of these years.”
James, who is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and turns 42 in December, also considered the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I thought I was done when the season ended,” James, who averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season when he turned 41, posted on social media. "I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game.
"I still truly love this game, and I have more to give. The last few weeks have really been special. I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think. I’ve had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out.
"This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time. Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!”
The Sixers are now the third betting favorite to win the NBA title, behind the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, and ahead of the reigning champion New York Knicks and 2024 champion Boston Celtics, per @betonlineag
The Sixers can now roll out a starting lineup featuring Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, James and Joel Embiid.
The Sixers made a blockbuster deal to add Brown earlier this month when they traded Paul George and four draft picks for the Celtics star.
Sixers stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Brown then reportedly reached out to James to attempt to persuade him to join the team, and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Friday that James was in continual touch with those players. Maxey is also represented by Klutch Sports and is a star player.
“The Eastern Conference team represented a chance to contend at a high level,” Charania said Friday on ESPN.
“The Sixers were not even on the map until Bob Myers and Mike Gansey went out there and traded for Jaylen Brown,” Charania added. “LeBron James looked at that roster, he looked at the Cavaliers roster, he looked at the Heat roster. He is choosing the Philadelphia 76ers.”
James also praised Brown during the season.
"He's playing great basketball, man," James said of Brown at the time. "This whole MVP thing, I don't understand why his name is not getting talked about some, as well. Like, nobody gave them a shot to start the season."
James also spoke highly of the Sixers’ fan base after he lifted the Lakers to a 112-108 win in December.
"One thing you know about Philly fans, they don't care about anybody besides their home teams, and I respect and I love that," James said. "I've played here, for obviously 23 years, a lot more when I was in Eastern Conference. But to be able to have an appreciation for the City of Brotherly Love and for me to go out and still play the game that I love and them respect it, whatever the case may be -- if they do -- it's pretty cool."
The Sixers have not won an NBA title since 1983 and are coming off being swept by the Knicks in the second round of the playoffs last season after upsetting the Boston Celtics.
The Eastern Conference now promises to be full of intrigue with the Sixers, Knicks, Celtics, Cavaliers, Magic, Pacers and Heat contending.