LOS ANGELES — In what could be LeBron James’ final free agency decision of his career, the 41-year-old former Lakers star has selected where he’ll play his record-holding 24th season in the NBA.
Read more White House correspondents’ dinner, redux: What will Trump have to say?
Almost a full month after announcing that he’ll not be returning to the Lakers for a ninth season, along with choosing to continue his career rather than retire, James has agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers with a player option, he announced on social media Friday morning.
“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,” James wrote on X. “Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love, and Northeast Ohio will always (be) home!”
James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, first told ESPN of the terms of James’ 24th season in the NBA.
The discount James is taking to join the 76ers, in comparison to his $52.6 million salary he made with the Lakers last season, is unprecedented for a player of his quality – even entering his age-42 season. James is still comfortably a top-20 player in the league and hasn’t placed a definite end date on his career just yet.
James is to thank for the hubbub around players switching franchises through free agency in the modern era. His first free agency decision, announcing he was leaving his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat – where he’d later win a pair of NBA championships – was its own television special, which aired July 10, 2010 on ESPN and was titled “The Decision.”
Read more Eight years after deadliest antisemitic attack in US history, Tree of Life rabbi bids farewell
Eventually, James would leave the Heat – ending the Big Three era alongside Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade – to bring glory back to the Cavaliers, helping Cleveland win its first and only NBA championship in 2016. Next, James would turn to becoming the next franchise figurehead for the Lakers.
In another unprecedented free agency decision, James moved to Los Angeles to play for the Lakers; his family following suit as all three of his children went to school in Southern California with his eldest children – Bryce and Bronny James – playing CIF Southern Section high school basketball at the likes of Sierra Canyon in Porter Ranch, Campbell Hall in Studio City and Crossroads School in Santa Monica.
Bronny James – who remains on the Lakers as of Friday, his contract until 2028 becoming guaranteed as of June 29 – would go on to join the Lakers as a second-round draft pick in 2024, becoming the first father-son duo to play alongside each other in the NBA.
LeBron James, who originally joined the Lakers on a four-year, $153.3 million maximum contract, would lead the Lakers alongside Anthony Davis to the 2020 NBA championship in the COVID-19 bubble in Florida. With the Lakers, LeBron James made the playoffs in all but two (2018-19 and 2021-22) of his eight seasons in Los Angeles. The eight seasons were the longest stint that Lebron James spent with one franchise in a sustained period.
“I thought I was done when the season ended,” LeBron James wrote Friday on X. “I wasn’t ready to announce (my retirement), 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 deicide if I still love this game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”
Read more Wisconsin voters sue to allow for vote to count if absentee ballot is late