NBA legend LeBron James will sign with the Philadelphia 76ers nearly a month after informing the Los Angeles Lakers he would not return.
James kept NBA teams guessing for weeks about his next destination. The 41-year-old reportedly was deciding among Golden State, Miami, Cleveland and Philadelphia. Philadelphia made a major offseason move earlier this summer by acquiring Boston’s Jaylen Brown.
James announced the decision Friday on X.
“I thought I was done when the season ended,” he said. “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.
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“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 be home!”
Entering his 24th NBA season, James is at the top of numerous NBA records, including most points scored and most games played. He is also No. 4 all-time in assists and No. 23 in rebounds. He has made 22 NBA All-Star Games, three more than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
He has also appeared in nine NBA Finals, winning four times.
ESPN reported that James’ contract is worth $8 million over two seasons, the minimum salary he could receive on a two-year deal.
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Philadelphia will be the fourth franchise James has played for. He started his career in Cleveland in 2003 before joining the Miami Heat in 2010. He returned to the Cavaliers in 2014, helping them to four consecutive NBA Finals appearances, which included a 2016 NBA title. He joined the Lakers in 2018 and won a title in 2020.
Even before James' addition, the 76ers were emerging as a potential favorite to challenge the Knicks for Eastern Conference supremacy. Alongside Brown and James, the 76ers have two promising young players in V. J. Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey. That's not to mention the 76ers have 2023 MVP Joel Embiid at center.
