After informing the Los Angeles Lakers that he wouldn’t be returning for the 2026-2027 season, LeBron James has found his next home in the NBA.
As reported by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, LeBron James has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option. The Athletic reported that the Sixers won out in the end after the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Miami Heat competed to get him on their rosters.
Across a series of posts shared on X, formerly Twitter, James indicated that he considered retiring before he decided that he still has more to give.
“I thought I was done when the season ended,” he wrote. “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.”
He stressed that he’s not playing at least one more season for money, but the urge to still compete.
“This is my last decision. I’m not going for money,” he wrote. “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 LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always [be] home!”
Complex has reached out to a representative for the Philadelphia 76ers for comment.
While the Philadelphia 76ers haven’t won a championship since 1983, he’s joining a strong lineup that features Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown, who was recently traded in the NBA offseason. LeBron James will enter his 24th season in the league with Philadelphia, extending his record of most seasons played in the NBA.
James, who is currently the oldest active player in the NBA, started his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003. He later joined the Miami Heat in 2010, which proved to be a controversial decision at the time but earned him two of his four NBA Championships. After four seasons with Miami, he returned to the Cavaliers in 2014, where he earned his third NBA Championship. He signed with the Lakers in 2018, helping the team win the COVID-19 bubble NBA season in 2020 and securing another NBA Championship.
As reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania last month, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul confirmed that James informed the Lakers that he intends to continue his NBA career with a different team. During his time with the Lakers, he became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
