LeBron James announced Friday that he’s signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, ending an eight-year run with the Los Angeles Lakers that included a championship and some of the biggest moments of his career.
The deal itself is small by LeBron’s standards, just two years and $8 million, a fraction of what a player of his stature could command. That’s the clearest sign of what’s driving this move. At 41 years old, James has said many times that winning is what matters to him now, more than money, more than comfort.
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The Lakers had been drifting away from him for a while, if you look back at it. Things reportedly started to fray around a failed attempt to trade for Russell Westbrook, then really shifted when the team landed Luka Dončić in a deal that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas. That move basically told James the Lakers were building around someone else’s timeline, not his.
When the Lakers’ season ended in June with a Game 4 loss to the Thunder, James informed the team he’d be exploring his options elsewhere once free agency opened.
He had plenty of suitors. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, both franchises he’s worn before, were reportedly in the mix. So were the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. In the end, Philadelphia won out.
The city isn’t wasting any time celebrating. Pennsylvania’s governor declared Friday “LeBron James Day.” Fans showed up to the 76ers’ game against the Yankees that night wearing his jersey.
Teammates didn’t hide their excitement either, with All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey posting a celebration video and forward Jaylen Brown writing “throw the ball up” on social media, a line that’s already been slapped on billboards around the city.
One storyline still hanging in the air: whether LeBron’s son Bronny will follow him east. The Lakers guaranteed Bronny’s contract for next season right before LeBron’s decision came out, which makes a reunion look unlikely for now, though nothing in this saga has gone the way people expected so far.
Philadelphia’s roster is already fairly full, and the team will need to shed some salary to make the numbers work with James on board. Still, on paper, pairing James with Joel Embiid, Maxey, and the rest of the young core gives the 76ers one of the more dangerous rosters in the Eastern Conference heading into next season, assuming health cooperates, which has been Embiid’s biggest obstacle in recent years.
For James, this is likely the last stop of a career that’s already rewritten the record books. Whether it ends with one more championship or not, Philadelphia has made it clear they’re thrilled just to have him.
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