… says new deal will be final NBA contract
LeBron James has announced that he will join the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2026/27 NBA season, describing the move as the final contract of his record-breaking career.
The 41-year-old, who left the Los Angeles Lakers last month after eight seasons, confirmed the decision in a post on X, ending weeks of speculation over his future.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energise a new fanbase and start this incredible journey one last time,” James wrote.
James had been linked with several franchises, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat, before choosing Philadelphia.
According to ESPN, the four-time NBA champion has agreed to a two-year contract worth a reported $8 million (£6 million), with a player option for the second year. The reported salary is significantly lower than the estimated $50.7 million (£38 million) he earned on average with the Lakers last season.
Explaining his decision, James said his motivation was no longer financial.
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“I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point?
“I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.”
James enters the next stage of his career as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and one of the most accomplished players in basketball history.
He has won four NBA championships, claiming titles with the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. His championship with Cleveland in 2016 ended the franchise’s 52-year major sports title drought.
James has also been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player four times between 2009 and 2013 and has earned an unprecedented 22 consecutive NBA All-Star selections.
Drafted first overall by Cleveland in 2003, James spent two spells with the Cavaliers, played four seasons with Miami between 2010 and 2014, and joined the Lakers in 2018, helping them win the 2020 NBA championship.
James’ announcement comes days after the Miami Heat mistakenly published a link to what appeared to be an introductory press conference for the veteran forward.
A Heat spokesperson later told Reuters that the post had been uploaded in error by staff preparing contingency materials in the event James returned to the franchise.
Reflecting on his previous teams, James wrote, “Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always be home.”
James had hinted after last season that retirement was close, saying he was “pretty sure I had played my last game.” However, he later reconsidered.
“I realised I still truly love this game and I have more to give,” he said.
His move to Philadelphia now gives the 76ers one of the most decorated players in NBA history as the franchise pursues its first championship since 1983. James, meanwhile, will attempt to add one final title before bringing the curtain down on a career spanning nearly three decades.
