LeBron chooses 76ers, calls it his 'last decision'...
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- LeBron James is signing a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option to join the Philadelphia 76ers, taking a massive pay cut from the nearly $53 million he earned with the Los Angeles Lakers last season.
- James, 41, announced the move on X, writing 'This is my last decision' after 'pretty sure I played my last game' at season's end, committing to a record-breaking 24th NBA season.
- The 76ers mounted a multi-pronged recruitment: Bob Myers made a digital pitch on Rich Paul's 'Game Over' podcast arguing Philadelphia was 'your best chance to win,' while Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and newly acquired Jaylen Brown worked James directly, with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro proclaiming Friday as LeBron James Day.
- Philadelphia's NBA Finals odds shifted from 20-1 to +900 and Eastern Conference odds from +750 to +370 at DraftKings Sportsbook immediately after the announcement.
- Agent Rich Paul told ESPN that Bronny James is 'not a package deal,' with no current plan or request for LeBron's son to join him in Philadelphia — ending their historic Lakers pairing.
- James returns to the Eastern Conference to chase a fifth championship and break Philadelphia's 43-year title drought, joining a conference that still includes two former suitors, the Cavaliers and Heat.
Why it matters: LeBron at 41 takes roughly a $45 million pay cut to chase a fifth ring with a franchise that hasn't won since 1983, while leaving his son Bronny behind in LA — a pure basketball-legacy move. The 76ers' title odds collapsed from 20-1 to +900 at DraftKings, instantly making Philadelphia a credible Eastern Conference threat alongside Cleveland and Miami.
