LeBron James officially announced he’s headed to the Philadelphia 76ers, signing a two-year, $8M deal with a player option for his second year. This is a dirt-cheap contract for a 41-year-old who just last season was still good enough to lift a Los Angeles Lakers team, missing both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, to a first-round victory. The Golden State Warriors, meanwhile, were clearly never seriously in the mix for the all-time scoring leader, even if some fans held onto hope.
The King’s New Kingdom and a Crazy Deal
James is about to join a seriously stacked 76ers squad. He’ll play alongside former MVP Joel Embiid, All-Star Tyrese Maxey, the No. 3 overall pick from 2025, VJ Edgecombe, and newly-acquired Jaylen Brown. And perhaps most importantly for LeBron, he will not play with Paul George. Philly’s offseason has been electric, trading for Brown and adding forward Dean Wade, who will likely be a backup, plus Anfernee Simons, a 38% career three-point shooter who averaged more than 20 points from 2022-24. That’s a powerhouse lineup!
Warriors’ Non-Starter Pitch and What’s Next
So, did the Warriors ever even have a real shot at landing James? Almost certainly not. Their pitch apparently boiled down to, “Come play with Steph Curry,” with whom James won a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics. Beyond that? We’re talking golf, a short flight to Los Angeles, or getting to meet Apple’s Tim Cook. Seriously? ESPN’s Anthony Slater called it out, saying the Warriors have a “more limited roster and a tougher path to contention” and an “older core that enters the season hobbled” after winning only 37 games last season. If James is still chasing a fifth ring, going East made way more sense. The Warriors also didn’t make an offseason trade to make themselves more appealing, choosing instead to re-sign “injury-prone veterans.” Even after Draymond Green opted out of his $27.7M player option, the team used that financial flexibility to do… pretty much nothing, beyond giving Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton small raises. It seems the Warriors knew this was trending away from them for weeks. This isn’t the first time LeBron has said no to them either; he declined back in February 2024.
For the Warriors, the offseason continues with the expectation of a Draymond Green reunion and three other roster spots to fill, but with a limited budget. For the 76ers, it’s all about seeing if this incredible new lineup can gel and truly compete for a championship. This Philly team is going to be must-watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Golden State of Mind.
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