July 24, 2026
Bill Streicher/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
LeBron James and Tyrese Maxey have a very strong relationship.
The Sixers have pulled off another absolute stunner: they are signing the NBA's all-time leading scorer, LeBron James, according to James' agency, Klutch Sports. James will reportedly sign a two-year contract with a player option in the second season.
James, the 41-year-old icon, will play his 24th NBA season in Philadelphia. As if their blockbuster trade for 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown was not enough, the Sixers have made the franchise's most shocking move in decades by convincing the 22-time All-Star to sign a veteran's minimum contract.
James' agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports – which also represents Tyrese Maxey, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse and multiple Sixers reserves – announced ahead of free agency that James would depart the Los Angeles Lakers. While the frontrunners to land James' services appeared to be the Golden State Warriors and his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, the Sixers' candidacy gained steam as the days piled up. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment President of Sports Bob Myers even appeared on Paul's podcast, making a spirited pitch that coming to Philadelphia would give James his best chance to win.
Apparently, James agreed. He has shocked the basketball world by agreeing to join forces with Maxey, Brown, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe. That dynamic starting five will attempt to lead the Sixers to their first championship since 1983.
James signing a minimum contract will allow the Sixers to remain below the hard cap they triggered at the first apron by using their non-taxpayer's mid-level exception on Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons; those two starting-caliber players are now set to be the team's two primary reserves.
Shortly after the Sixers traded Paul George and four draft picks to acquire Brown from the Boston Celtics, The Athletic reported the Sixers' interest in pitching James on coming to Philadelphia. New Sixers President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey has a longstanding relationship with James, not just from their shared time with the Cavaliers but from their days of competing as high-school players in Ohio.
Gansey, in his first summer as a primary decision-maker in the NBA, has arguably pulled off two of the single biggest surprises in Sixers history and the two most shocking transactions in the entire NBA this summer. Suddenly, the Sixers have officially stamped themselves as full-blown championship contenders, with James, Maxey, Embiid, Brown and Edgecombe spearheading a roster which suddenly has a dramatically different look:
| PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
| Tyrese Maxey | VJ Edgecombe | Jaylen Brown | LeBron James | Joel Embiid |
| Labaron Philon Jr. | Anfernee Simons | Dean Wade | Dominick Barlow | Adem Bona |
| Caleb Love (two-way) | Dalen Terry | Justin Edwards | Jabari Walker | Ariel Hukporti |
| Rayan Rupert (two-way) | Johni Broome |
James departed Los Angeles in part because the Lakers were ready to move on from him and build around new superstar Luka Dončić. And, as Austin Reaves emerged as a star-level scorer, James had an odd year in 2025-26 as he tried to navigate life as a third option for the first time. By the end of the regular season, he had predictably mastered the role – which allowed him to take many much-needed nights off and pace himself. But injuries to both Dončić and Reaves forced James back into a primary scoring and creation role. He held up just fine, leading the Lakers past the Houston Rockets in decisive fashion in the first round of the playoffs before suffering a second-round sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
On this Sixers team, even while not being the only player with availability concerns, James will be able to pace himself. Maxey and Brown are proven high-level NBA scorers with long track records in terms of durability; as he enters his second NBA season Edgecombe will have fewer chances to play on the ball but is more than capable of handling a real scoring load, too.
The Sixers should be able, then, to offer both James and Embiid opportunities to handle lighter workloads in an effort to conserve their bodies over the course of the season. In theory, this arrangement is ideal for all parties involved, especially the two players particularly liable to miss time during the season.
The Sixers have at least four players capable of engineering a successful NBA offense; proponents of Edgecombe's upside would argue that number will be five in short order. That is an enormous luxury – not just for getting through the regular season, but also for surviving playoff basketball, which often comes down to half-court execution.
James, perhaps the game's foremost mastermind, has been perfecting these arts for more than two decades. His expertise can be passed down in a way that will benefit the Sixers and their younger cornerstones for many years to come.
Edgecombe grew up rooting for the Miami Heat when James joined forces with Dwyane Wade. Maxey was partial to Wade, his favorite player, but has formed a strong relationship with James as a result of their shared agency.
MORE: Detailing Maxey's rise from rookie to superstar
"I love the success, and the humbleness that Tyrese does it at," James said in December after making a trio of clutch jumpers to lead the Lakers past the Sixers. "It starts with his family. He's just taking full advantage of the opportunity here and he’s making the most of it. Every summer we get together and train, get ready for the season. Obviously it wasn't as extended this summer than previous summers because of the injury I was dealing with. But we did get an opportunity to get on the court a few times. Obviously, I love his game, but I love him the person more than anything. And that’s tough to do."
LEBRON JAMES. 10 STRAIGHT POINTS.
— NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2025
LONG 2. TRIPLE. TRIPLE. LONG 2.
LAKERS GET THE WIN IN PHILLY 👑 pic.twitter.com/bWE9zBe5CV
The magnitude of what is happening cannot be overstated. The Sixers are adding arguably the greatest player in the history of the NBA to a team now fully in pursuit of a championship, and they are doing so without sacrificing any spending power whatsoever. James, even as a diminished version of his prior self, averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game last season. He will provide on-ball scoring, elite shot creation, leadership, rebounding, positional size, playoff experience and historic feel for the game, all at once.
Yes, this is real life.
“Well, I mean, one thing we know about Philly fans, is they don't care about anybody except their home teams," James said in December. "And I respect that, I love that. And I’ve played here for 23 years, a lot more when I was in the Eastern Conference. I have appreciation for the City of Brotherly Love.”
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