LeBron James is heading to the Philadelphia 76ers, agreeing to a two-year, $8 million contract that includes a player option, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who cited Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul as the source of the news.
The move makes Philadelphia the fourth NBA franchise of James’s career as he continues chasing a fifth championship before eventually stepping away from the game. He’ll now try to end a 43-year title drought for the Sixers, echoing what he accomplished for Cleveland in 2016 when he broke the city’s 52-year championship dry spell.
James confirmed the decision himself on social media Friday, writing that he believes he can help turn the 76ers into a championship team and that he’s excited to energize a new fan base as he begins what he’s calling one final chapter of his career. He described the choice as deeply personal, saying it wasn’t about money or proximity to family but about his continued desire to compete, sacrifice and chase the feeling of winning it all again.
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He also opened up about the uncertainty that shaped his offseason, admitting that after this past season ended, he genuinely believed he might be finished playing. He said he wasn’t ready to make that call public and needed time to sit with the decision, adding that when he told reporters at his final press conference of the year that he needed to look inward and figure out whether he still loved the game, he meant it.
James joins a Philadelphia roster already reshaped by a blockbuster trade earlier this summer that brought All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown over from Boston in exchange for Paul George and a package of draft picks.
With James now added alongside Brown, All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey, former MVP center Joel Embiid and rising guard VJ Edgecombe, the Sixers project as a legitimate threat to the defending champion New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference next season, assuming Embiid can stay healthy.
The move makes Philadelphia the fourth NBA franchise of James’s career as he continues chasing a fifth championship before eventually stepping away from the game. He’ll now try to end a 43-year title drought for the Sixers, echoing what he accomplished for Cleveland in 2016 when he broke the city’s 52-year championship dry spell.
BREAKING: LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option, Klutch Sports Group and Klutch CEO and Game Over show host Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ALOlTkgdAV
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 24, 2026
.@ShamsCharania reacts to LeBron James signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on the @PatMcAfeeShow ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/W5De5Rb56e
— ESPN (@espn) July 24, 2026
