LeBron James is heading to Philadelphia.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, who said he heard from agent Rich Paul, the four-time MVP has agreed to join the Sixers on a two-year, minimum-salary contract that includes a second-year player option. Klutch Sports Group later confirmed the move.
James explained the decision himself in a post on social media, saying, “I thought I was done when the season ended,” and adding, “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 L.A. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always (be) home!”
The move closes out one of the biggest offseason storylines in the league. On June 30, James informed the Lakers that he would not re-sign after eight seasons in Los Angeles, and from there the guessing game took over. He spent more than three weeks weighing his choices without a destination locked in, while nearly every team in the NBA made its pitch.
By the first week of free agency, the field had been trimmed down. Reports said James and Paul had narrowed the realistic options to the Heat, Cavaliers, Warriors, Timberwolves, Nuggets and 76ers.
Paul had already laid out that list on a white board during an episode of his “Game Over” podcast three weeks ago, and he pointed to a couple of factors that made Philadelphia stand out. He said James “loves” Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, who is also a Klutch client, and he also highlighted new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey. James and Gansey go back to their days as high school players in Ohio, and Gansey later worked in Cleveland’s front office during James’ second stint with the Cavaliers.
Even with Charania repeatedly reporting that James appeared to be leaning toward Eastern Conference teams, a return to one of his former stops always seemed like the more expected outcome than a landing in Philadelphia. Cleveland was viewed as the early favorite, and the Heat had recently moved ahead of them as the betting favorite.
In Other News...
76ers Just Got New Life In The LeBron Chase
LeBron James next move is still one of the leagues biggest lingering questions, but the 76ers have at least stayed in the conversation as the picture around him continues to shift. With Philadelphia having recently revamped its roster, the franchise remains in the mix as James and his camp weigh what comes next, and the uncertainty has kept a lot of teams on alert.
The field around James still includes some familiar heavyweight options, and the timing of his decision remains unclear. For the 76ers, the appeal is obvious: if this chase stays alive a little longer, their new-look roster could get a real test of whether it has the kind of draw that can keep them in the hunt for a player of James stature. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Suddenly Have One Roster Decision Fans Can't Ignore
If LeBron James really is headed to Philadelphia for his 24th NBA season, the Sixers would suddenly have a very different kind of roster puzzle on their hands. A move of that magnitude would finish out the 15-player group and force the front office to decide which of the current non-guaranteed deals is worth keeping around as the final safety net on the bench.
The conversation gets even more interesting because the last spot would not just be about filling space. Philadelphia could chase a more dependable veteran presence, including names with familiar LeBron connections, rather than settling for a fringe holdover. However the Sixers choose to handle it, the bigger question is whether this is the moment to prioritize fit, experience and a little star-adjacent intrigue over simply keeping the easiest option in place. [Read more 🡒]