Overview
- LeBron James announced Saturday that he will leave the Los Angeles Lakers and sign a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers as he begins his 24th NBA season.
- The signing places James alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and recent addition Jaylen Brown on a 76ers roster that immediately changes title projections for the Eastern Conference.
- Charles Barkley criticized the move on The Stephen A. Smith Show by reviving a long-running complaint that James repeatedly joins star-laden teams, listing Miami, Cleveland, Los Angeles and now Philadelphia as examples.
- Earlier July reporting and betting markets had briefly favored the Cleveland Cavaliers as a likely destination after agent-mediated pitches, so Saturday’s deal reverses those expectations and highlights the role of nontraditional recruiting methods.
- The move raises next-step questions about how long James can sustain elite play at 41, how minutes and roles will be divided among star players, and whether a short, low-salary contract signals a final focused run at one or more championships.