LeBron James, at 41, signs with Philadelphia 76ers
One of the greatest basketball players of all time chose the Sixers as his final career team, agreeing to a salary nearly 14 times smaller than his in Los Angeles.
One of the greatest basketball players of all time chose the Sixers as his final career team, agreeing to a salary nearly 14 times smaller than his in Los Angeles.
LeBron James, the 41-year-old basketball player widely regarded as the greatest in NBA history, will sign a two-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, ending a long anticipation over his career decision. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the deal includes a player option for the second season, and James himself confirmed the decision via a social media post.
James emphasized that the Philadelphia 76ers mark the final team of his career, which will reach a record 24 NBA seasons in the upcoming year. He leaves behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers, the latter where he spent eight seasons. According to BBC News, the Sixers won the race for James's signature ahead of the Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Miami Heat.
The financial terms of the new contract differ dramatically from what James earned in Los Angeles. While he was paid $52,627,153 last season, the new two-year deal is worth approximately eight million dollars total. In the first year, he will earn $3,876,529, and if he exercises the player option for the second season, his salary will be $4,070,355. James's new contract thus accounts for just 2.35 percent of the team's total salary cap, according to data cited by Index.hr.
Despite the significant pay cut, the two-year structure of the deal has created a financial problem for the Sixers. Since the contract is not a one-year deal, Philadelphia will not be able to use the typical veteran's exception in salary cap calculations. Once James's contract is factored in, the Sixers exceed the salary cap limit by approximately $572,000, forcing them to waive a player with a non-guaranteed contract or complete a trade.
In Philadelphia, James will join a lineup that already includes Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, and VJ Edgecombe. Last season with the Lakers, he averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game, showing that at the threshold of his fifth decade, he can still perform at a high level.
James accompanied his announcement with a lengthy text explaining his decision-making process, which, according to him, involved serious consideration of retirement.
"I thought it was over when the season ended. I wasn't ready to announce it and I knew I needed some time to really make a decision, but I was pretty sure I had played my last game. I was honest at my last press conference when I said I had to look myself in the mirror and decide if I still love this game. I still truly love it and I have more to give."
James made it clear that his move was not motivated by money or family reasons, but solely by the desire for one more championship. "This is my final decision. I'm not making it for money. I'm not making it for my family either. What am I really playing for at this stage of my career? I am still ready to make sacrifices. I still want to work. I still want to train hard. I still want to compete, to win, and to get the chance to feel what it's like to win a championship again", James wrote, thanking fans from Los Angeles, Miami, and Cleveland.
Philadelphia must now resolve its salary cap situation to formally confirm James's arrival. The club will have to make personnel decisions in a short time frame, and whether the new star-studded lineup with Embiid and James is enough for a title will be shown in the upcoming season, which, according to James himself, must be his last and most important of his career.
