Finally, after weeks of speculation, LeBron James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, joining Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown on a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option. This paycheck is incredibly less than the $52 million-plus he made in Los Angeles last season.
With James on the Sixers now, ESPN's panel bumped Philadelphia to No. 5 in its updated offseason power rankings, up from No. 12 before the signing. This big jump follows the 76ers' trade for Brown earlier in July, which sent Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks to the Boston Celtics.
Not surprisingly, Lakers fans are a bit upset to see the 41-year-old walk for so little. On Threads, a Philly fan added insult to the injury, posting, "LeBron to the 76ers for $4 million a year is such a slap to the face to Lakers fans."
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant wasn't about to let the internet hate slide. Replying from his verified account, Durant completely shut down the fan, penning, "Your face will heal at some point," alongside a string of laughing emojis.
His savage reply immediately caught the attention of Durant's former teammate Draymond Green and led to an endless online debate. When another critic called him out for getting involved, KD doubled down on his respect for his friend and noted, "LeBron embodies the game of basketball; I'm defending the game itself."
However, this time around, James' decision was never about the money. His agent, Rich Paul, claimed that at this stage of his career, “The King” is single-mindedly chasing a fifth championship ring, and the 76ers successfully convinced him that Philly gives him the absolute best shot to get it done.
Also, the structure of the deal confirms that James gives himself a clear two-year window to hunt for that title, complete with a player option that could keep him on the floor through an unbelievable 25th NBA season.
James broke his silence on the move with a post on X, telling fans that his love for basketball hasn't faded and that he still has "more to give." Now, a Sixers franchise that hasn't hoisted a championship banner since 1983 is pushing all its chips to the middle of the table, betting that he is absolutely right.
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