It finally happened, and man, did it shake things up! After what felt like an eternity, the biggest name in NBA free agency, LeBron James, agreed to terms with the 76ers on July 24. This isn’t another move, it’s the fourth time King James has changed teams in his legendary career, and get this: he signed a 2-year, $8 million deal. Seriously, $8 million for LeBron? That’s wild. But the 76ers weren’t done, not even close.
The King’s Domino Effect and Wild Reversals
The King’s move had the league scrambling. Remember James Harden and Draymond Green? They both declined their team options specifically to open up flexibility for the LeBron chase. Crazy, right? But once James officially inked that Philly deal, things shifted fast. Draymond, after all that drama, then re-signed with the Warriors for a one-year, $27.7 million deal, the exact same contract he opted out of! Talk about a head-scratcher. Harden, on the other hand, looks like he’s heading back to the Cavaliers. So much for playing with LeBron this time around.
Blockbuster Deals and The Stars Still Out There
Don’t think free agency was only about LeBron, though. We saw some huge splashes elsewhere! The Lakers, now officially in their post-LeBron era, locked down Austin Reaves with a massive 4-year, $185 million deal. They also pulled off a sweet sign-and-trade for big man Walker Kessler from the Jazz and scooped up free-agent guards Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton. Big moves to try and rebuild fast. Then there’s Mitchell Robinson, who was one of the best free agents to jump ship. He left the champion Knicks for a three-year deal with the Celtics, only for Boston to stun everyone hours later by trading Jaylen Brown to the 76ers! Yep, Philly got Brown too, which makes that LeBron deal even more insane. Norman Powell bounced from the Heat to the Bulls, and Tobias Harris is off to the Spurs, with the Pistons signing John Collins to fill that gap. Even Anfernee Simons agreed to a two-year deal with the 76ers after that Brown trade. Tari Eason snagged a fully guaranteed five-year, $81.5 million deal to stick with the Rockets. Oh, and shoutout to Trae Young, who got a monster 4-year, $212 million deal. Seriously, these contracts are wild! Still out there, though, is Jalen Duren, an All-NBA center from the 2025-26 season. He’s a restricted free agent, which means the Pistons can match any offer. He’s still waiting for that right deal to drop.
The early frenzy saw over 30 of the top 40 free agents signed in the first 48 hours, but with Duren and a few others still on the market, the ripple effects from these superstar moves are far from over. What kind of offers will Duren get? How will LeBron and Brown fit in Philly? The league is officially on notice, and next season can’t come fast enough to see how these new powerhouses shake out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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