LeBron James arrives in Philadelphia with a short contract, a long résumé and a specific assignment: help Joel Embiid push the 76ers past the playoff ceiling that has held the franchise in place for more than a decade. James said the chance to join Embiid and longtime friend Tyrese Maxey drove his decision to sign a two-year, $8 million deal in July.
Maxey connection helped open the door
James, 41, offered his first public account of the move on Friday’s edition of his “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash. He is expected to make his first appearance before Philadelphia reporters at Monday’s media day in Camden, New Jersey, with training camp set to begin next week.
Philadelphia was not initially at the front of James’ thinking. That shifted when the Sixers completed their unexpected trade with Boston for Jaylen Brown, the reigning NBA Finals MVP and a champion.
- Maxey and James share representation and have trained together since Maxey entered the league.
- James said Maxey was among the earliest people to call after the Lakers were informed that he would not be back.
- The relationship quickly moved into recruitment, with Maxey making the case for Philadelphia.
- James sees the Sixers as a place where he can apply the championship experience collected across Cleveland, Miami and Los Angeles.
James said the appeal was not simply extending his career. He described the challenge of continuing to beat expectations as a major part of what still keeps him invested in the game.
Embiid’s title chase sits at the center
The move pairs James with an Embiid whose individual file is already full: an NBA MVP, two scoring crowns and an Olympic gold medal. The missing line is a championship, and Embiid has not taken Philadelphia beyond the second round since the Sixers made him the third overall pick in the 2014 draft.
James said he wants to help Embiid secure that first championship and referred to the center’s long-standing burden as the face of “The Process.” His view is that Philadelphia needs a final piece capable of helping its star get over the postseason barrier.
The Sixers finished 45-37 last season before the eventual champion New York Knicks swept them in the second round. James is targeting a much larger turnaround: Philadelphia has not won an NBA championship since 1983.
James chose another season after considering retirement
When his 23rd season ended with the Lakers, James posted that he believed he was finished. Time at home with his family and a strong summer training period changed that calculation. He said he still felt sharp physically and mentally, leaving him without a convincing reason to walk away from basketball.
His exit from Los Angeles ends the longest uninterrupted team stay of his career, an eight-season run. James helped the Lakers claim their 17th championship in 2020, though the pandemic denied the team a traditional parade. He called his time with the franchise meaningful and said Los Angeles would remain home for the foreseeable future.
James also made league history in Los Angeles by becoming the first NBA father to share the floor with his son, playing alongside Bronny James during each of the past two seasons.
- James has won championships with every previous franchise he represented: Cleveland, Miami and the Lakers.
- His career honors include 22 All-Star selections, 21 All-NBA nods, four MVP awards and four Finals MVPs.
- He has also been named All-Star Game MVP three times and was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
- Last season, he posted averages of 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists.
- Across more than 1,600 career games, he has averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists.
James did not detail talks with other possible destinations, including a return to the Lakers, reunions with Miami or Cleveland, or a possible California stay with Golden State. Instead, he framed the Philadelphia choice around another run at a title and the belief that, after a productive offseason, he still has more basketball to give.
