LeBron James is taking his talents to Philadelphia, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), who hears from agent Rich Paul that the four-time MVP has agreed to sign with the Sixers on a two-year, minimum-salary deal with a second-year player option. Paul’s Klutch Sports Group has put out an announcement confirming the news (Twitter link).
“I thought I was done when the season ended,” James wrote in his own post on social media announcing his decision (Twitter thread). “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!”
James’ next team had been one of the biggest questions looming over the NBA offseason since word broke on June 30 that he’d informed the Lakers he wouldn’t be re-signing with the team after spending the past eight seasons in Los Angeles.
James didn’t have a specific destination lined up at that point and spent the next three-plus weeks mulling his options. While nearly every team in the league made a pitch, reports in the first week of free agency indicated that Lebron and Paul had narrowed the list of realistic landing spots to the Heat, Cavaliers, Warriors, Timberwolves, Nuggets, and 76ers.
When Paul broke down James’ options on a white board in an episode of his “Game Over” podcast three weeks ago, he noted that LeBron “loves” Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey (another Klutch client) and pointed to the presence of new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey as a factor worth considering. James and Gansey have known one another since they competed against each other as high school players in Ohio, and Gansey was in Cleveland’s front office during LeBron’s second stint with the Cavaliers.
Still, even as Charania repeatedly reported in recent weeks that James seemed to be focusing more on the Eastern Conference suitors, there was always a widespread belief that a reunion with one of his former teams was more likely than a deal with Philadelphia. The Cavaliers were considered the frontrunners early in the process, with the Heat recently overtaking them as the betting favorites.
Instead, James will be teaming up with Maxey on a revamped, star-studded Sixers roster that also includes former MVP Joel Embiid, Rookie of the Year finalist VJ Edgecombe, and another notable newcomer, All-NBA second-teamer Jaylen Brown. Philadelphia’s early-July trade sending Paul George and draft assets to Boston in exchange for Brown almost certainly played a part in LeBron’s decision, making the Sixers a more viable and appealing option.
More to come…
