NBA legend and future first-ballot Hall of Famer LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent told ESPN's Shams Charania. The NBA's all-time scoring leader has agreed to a two-year $8 million deal with Philly that includes a player option.
This is the second major acquisition the Philadelphia 76ers have made this off-season. On July 6th, the Sixers acquired former NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics for Paul George, two first-round draft picks, and two second-round draft picks.
LeBron James has spent the last eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he led the franchise to a championship in 2020. During his time in LA, he averaged 25.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.9 assists in 479 games.
The 2025-26 campaign was James' 23rd year in the league, which would explain why his numbers took a little bit of a dip when compared to his career averages. In 60 games, he averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds. However, LeBron elevated his game in the playoffs by leading the Lakers in points, rebounds, and assists.
The pressure is on in Philadelphia
LeBron had a few options on the table (the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, and Philadelphia 76ers). We all knew he was going to join a championship-worthy team, but the amount of pressure he and the squad would be under varied from franchise to franchise. At the end of the day, LeBron James chose to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers because they have the roster that is best set up to win a title this coming season. But that also meant that he would face the most pressure and scrutiny if he decided to go to Philly.
Even before LeBron James agreed to a deal with the 76ers, the Jaylen brown trade thrust this team into the NBA title conversation. They were a playoff team even before that, but the acquisition of Jaylen Brown made them one of the four best teams in the NBA. Between Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe, Philly already had a championship-caliber roster. Now that LeBron James is in the mix, the 76ers should be viewed as the favorites to win the 2027 NBA Finals.
The expectation is that this team will win a championship at some point during LeBron James' tenure. By adding LeBron, the Sixers undoubtedly have the best starting five in the National Basketball Association. Barring any catastrophic injuries, Philly will probably be NBA champions when the 2026-27 season comes to an end. But that has to be the result either this year or during the 2027-28 campaign. If the Philadelphia 76ers do not win a title with LeBron James on the team, then this signing will be viewed as a colossal failure by LeBron, the Sixers, and the rest of the NBA.
