Decision Day: LeBron James announces his next team

NEW YORK (KTTV) - LeBron James is heading to the Philadelphia 76ers in what he described as his "last decision" before calling it a career. 

The 41-year-old NBA superstar made the announcement on social media Friday, revealing that the blockbuster move comes after he spent the offseason strongly considering retirement.

What we know:

James agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal, marking a steep drop from the nearly $53 million he earned with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, ESPN reports.

The move sets him up to play in an unprecedented 24th NBA season during the 2026-27 campaign, surpassing Vince Carter’s previous record of 22 seasons. 

In Philadelphia, James joins a loaded core that boasts fellow All-Stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown, who arrived earlier this summer in a blockbuster deal with the Celtics. 

This decision follows remarks made earlier this month by his agent, Rich Paul, on the "Game Over" podcast, where he named Philadelphia alongside Cleveland, Golden State, and Miami as potential destinations.

What they're saying:

In his social media announcement, James expressed enthusiasm for the fresh challenge, writing, "I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time." 

He also opened up about his initial plans to step away from basketball after his 23rd season, sharing that "I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and deicide if I still love this game," before adding, "I still truly love this game, and I have more to give." 

Addressing the massive financial pay cut he accepted to make the roster fit work, James emphasized that his drive is purely competitive, stating, "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."

Dig deeper:

The league’s all-time leading scorer has numerous other accolades, including four regular-season MVP awards, four NBA Finals MVP Awards, and three Olympic gold medals.

While he led the Lakers to its 17th championship in 2020, the Men in Purple and Gold failed to meet expectations in the seasons that followed.

The next season, they failed to make the playoffs altogether. In 2022-23, they lost the Western Conference Finals, and for the next two seasons, they were eliminated in the first-round of the playoffs.

Now, the Lakers will continue to build around Luka Doncic in their next era.