LeBron James' latest decision has him joining Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid on the Philadelphia 76ers.
Like the local Eagles before him, LeBron James indeed wanted Philly Philly.
Per Shams Charania of ESPN, James is pulling a reverse "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" endeavor, as the former Los Angeles Laker will sign with the Philadelphia 76ers for his record-extending 24th NBA season. James becomes the latest addition of a busy offseason for the Sixers, who previously acquired Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics.
Charania’s report states that James’ new, and potential final, contract is a two-year deal worth $8 million.
James joins one of the more volatile, if not potential-packed situations in the NBA: despite being denied an Eastern Conference Finals berth for the 25th consecutive season, the Sixers enjoyed a career-best campaign from Tyrese Maxey and the freshman breakout of VJ Edgecombe.
Both happenings allowed them to be patient when it came to the fluctuating health of franchise face Joel Embiid, who dealt with further injuries all season, including a bout with appendicitis that kept him out of the ensuing postseason run.
BREAKING: LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option, Klutch Sports Group and Klutch CEO and Game Over show host Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ALOlTkgdAV
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 24, 2026
Despite losing Embiid, the Sixers placed seventh in the East after winning the opening stanza of the conference Play-In Tournament. Philadelphia took down Brown and the second-ranked Celtics in the opening round before falling to the eventual champion New York Knicks in a second-round sweep.
LeBron James Heads to the City of Brotherly Love
Philadelphia has gone a quarter-century without appearing in the NBA's final four, the third-longest active denial in the league behind only conference companions Washington and Charlotte. With that in mind, the Sixers made a major splash by bartering for Brown in a deal that sacrificed several first-round choices as well as veteran Paul George.
Even at 41, James should be able to keep Philadelphia's momentum alive. He continued to play at a sterling pace upon entering his full-time 40s with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds for a Laker team that placed fourth in the Western Conference. The Association's all-time leading scorer continued to add to his resume, becoming the league's all-time leader in games played and successful field goals made, passing Robert Parish and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in those respective categories.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
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