LeBron James is heading to Philadelphia, but his path to the 76ers required more than a phone call. Sixers executives spent weeks working behind the scenes to resolve tensions among James, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid before the four-time NBA champion agreed to sign a two-year deal worth around $8 million.
James, 41, announced the move on Friday, calling it his “last decision” and acknowledging he had strongly considered retirement after his 23rd season. He made nearly $53 million last season and is taking a significant pay cut to chase a fifth 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,” James said in his announcement.
Clearing the Air
The reunion with Brown carried obvious friction. While with the Boston Celtics, Brown made headlines for blunt remarks about James’ son Bronny after he was drafted by the Lakers in 2024. “I don’t think Bronny is a pro,” Brown said at the time. Brown also drew attention for comments about Embiid, saying after Philadelphia eliminated Boston in the first round of the playoffs that Embiid flops and “he knows it too.”
A source told The Daily Mail that those issues were worked through before James committed. “Any issues LeBron may have had with Jaylen ultimately took a backseat because winning changes everything,” the source said. “Jaylen also had past issues with Joel Embiid, but conversations have been had, everything has been smoothed over. Tyrese Maxey’s presence, along with his connection with Rich Paul, helped reassure everyone involved.”
Why Philadelphia
The source said Golden State had been considered a frontrunner for James at one point, but that prospect faded. “It increasingly looked like more of a retirement tour than a true championship destination, especially with how difficult the path to the NBA Finals is in the Western Conference,” the source said. “The Eastern Conference presents a much more realistic road back to the Finals, particularly with the talent Philadelphia already has in place.”
The Sixers went 45-37 last season before being swept in the second round by the NBA champion New York Knicks. The franchise has not won a championship since 1983.
Family Support
James wrote that he was “done” when his season ended with the Lakers but ultimately concluded he had more to give. “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,” he wrote.
The source said James’ wife Savannah and their three children, Bronny, Bryce, and Zhuri, supported the move after James promised it would be his final run. “Once this is over, he’s done,” the source added.
James announced the signing on Instagram with a career highlight reel set to Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares,” ending with the lyric: “hold up, wait a minute. Y’all thought I was finished?”
