Today, LeBron James will join the Philadelphia 76ers after spending the past eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 22-time All-Star has agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who cited Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul.
James announced Friday that he had considered retiring following the 2025-26 season before ultimately deciding to continue playing. At 41, the four-time NBA champion will enter his 24th NBA season with a new team and another opportunity to compete for a title.
“I thought I was done when the season ended. 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,” Lebron James wrote on X. “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.”
Philadelphia spent much of the offseason assembling a roster capable of contending in the Eastern Conference. Earlier this summer, the franchise acquired five-time All-Star and 2024 NBA Finals MVP (and November 2025 ESSENCE Digital Cover star) Jaylen Brown, pairing him with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. James now joins that group, giving the 76ers one of the league’s most accomplished starting lineups heading into the new season.
Per a report by ESPN, team executives and players reportedly played an active role in recruiting James. President of basketball operations Mike Gansey, who previously worked with him in Cleveland, maintained communication with Rich Paul throughout free agency. Embiid, Maxey and Brown also helped make Philadelphia’s case as James evaluated where he wanted to spend the final years of his career.
The move comes after James earned nearly $53 million with the Lakers last season, making his new contract a significant pay cut. Reports indicated his priority during free agency was finding the best basketball situation rather than maximizing his salary.
Philadelphia enters the season with championship expectations but also lingering questions surrounding Embiid’s health. The former MVP has appeared in fewer than 40 games in each of the last three seasons, and injuries have repeatedly interrupted the team’s postseason runs. Last season, the 76ers finished 45-37 before being swept by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks in the second round.
James arrives with one of the most decorated résumés in league history. A four-time NBA champion, four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP, he remains the NBA’s all-time leading scorer after more than two decades in the league. Last season, he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists.
“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 on X. “Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always [be] home!”
The Sixers have not won an NBA championship since 1983 and have not advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs since reaching the NBA Finals in 2001 with Allen Iverson leading the pack. By adding James to a promising roster, the organization is making one final push to end both droughts.
