Well, it happened.
LeBron James, the GOAT of basketball, has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to Shams Charania.
LeBron James, multiple-time All-NBA, All-Star, NBA Champion, and MVP, has signed with the 76ers after declining to continue his play in Los Angeles.
A brief history of LeBron James
LeBron James has played for 3 other NBA franchises before this moment.
- Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-2010; 2014-2018)
- Miami Heat (2010-2014)
- Los Angeles Lakers (2018-2026)
He has won 4 championships: 2 with Miami (2012, 2013), 1 with Cleveland (2016), and 1 with the LA Lakers (2020).
The Free Agency Signing
LeBron James signed with the 76ers for a 2 year/$8 million deal at age 41.
This is most likely the last team of his prolific 24+ season career.
Quite an awkward place to retire; I was expecting him to return to either Cleveland or Miami (my favorite team!)
What this means for Philly
The 76ers are likely a top 4 seed in the Eastern Conference this season.
The 76ers were a 7th seed with an injured Embiid and a suspended Paul George. They were able to upset the Celtics in a 3-1 comeback in the first round.
Getting rid of Paul George for Jaylen Brown has to be one of the craziest trade steals in NBA history. 6th place in MVP voting, and traded for a podcaster instead of Giannis? What was Brad Stevens thinking?
Now they have Jaylen Brown and LeBron on the same roster.
This is the expected starting lineup for the 2027 76ers:
- PG: Tyrese Maxey
- SG: V.J. Edgecombe
- SF: LeBron James
- PF: Jaylen Brown
- C: Joel Embiid*
*Might be injured.
This is surely a 50+ win this upcoming season, and at least a top 4 in the East and legit title contenders.
What does this mean for LeBron’s Legacy?
If LeBron and the 76ers can win the 2027 chip, he becomes an all-time great 40+ year old player. If they can bring a title in 2028, it will be the greatest farewell tour in NBA history.
Retiring after winning a championship.
It’s crazy to think that I have been alive to see LeBron’s amazing career. I remember him mostly for his tenure in Miami, but man, was it a great run for him.
LeBron will forever change the NBA, and he has cemented his legacy on and off the court.
His long career is so unprecedented that 3 1st overall picks are younger than LeBron’s career. Cooper Flagg is 19 and is playing against a 41-year-old LeBron.
Now I ask you, what was the better signing in Philadelphia, the Declaration of Independence or LeBron James?