LeBron James signs with Philadelphia 76ers in $8 million deal
Agent Rich Paul confirms two-year contract with player option as James seeks championship success in City of Brotherly Love
LeBron James has signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, including a player option, according to agent Rich Paul. The 41-year-old forward confirmed the move via posts on X, stating that the decision was driven by a desire to compete for a fifth NBA championship rather than financial gain. This marks James’ fourth team in the National Basketball Association and potentially his final free agency decision before retirement.
James, who spent eight years with the Los Angeles Lakers, ended a tenure that included a 2020 championship. In his announcement, he wrote that he initially believed he was retiring after the 2025-26 season but needed time to determine if he still loved the game. "I still truly love this game, and I have more to give," James wrote, adding that he is not playing for money or family but to "sacrifice, work, grind, compete, to win."
The Philadelphia 76ers interpreted James’ prioritisation of "basketball happiness" as an opportunity to pitch their situation as the best chance to win. Bob Myers, president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Sixers, appeared on Rich Paul’s podcast "Game Over" to make a digital pitch. Myers stated that if James was there, he would say, "I honestly believe this is your best chance to win."
A multi-pronged recruitment effort involved constant communication from Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, a former Cavaliers player who competed against James in high school in Northeast Ohio. A trio of Sixers players—Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and newly acquired Jaylen Brown—worked directly on James, with Maxey leading the effort as a fellow Klutch client.
The Sixers finished the previous season 45-37 and lost to the New York Knicks 4-0 in the second round of the playoffs. The franchise has not won an NBA championship since 1983. James’ departure from the Lakers ends an eight-year tenure that included a 2020 championship, shifting his focus to a team seeking to break a 43-year drought.
