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The history of MVPs on losing teams

A strange thing is happening in the American League.

Despite capturing the All-Star Game, the American League has struggled this year compared to its National League brethren. For example, nine National League teams enter the day with winning records compared to just six American League clubs. Four of the top five winning percentages belong to N.L. teams while three of the five worst winning percentages belong to A.L. teams, the Kansas City Royals among them.

In the National League, there is a clear front-runner for the Most Valuable Player award, that being one of the greatest ballplayers to ever live, certainly the apex of the sport today: Shohei Ohtani.

The downturn in American League records, coupled with the unfortunate injury and long absence of the league’s biggest star, Aaron Judge, means that the race for MVP is far more volatile than usual. While this is not, and should not, be the sole indicator of the award, the top three American League players in bWAR are Bobby Witt Jr. (4.9), Kevin McGonigle (4.8), and Yordan Alvarez (4.7).

What’s one thing shared by Witt, McGonigle, and Alvarez?

Each of their teams has a losing record.

Bob, of course, plays for the Royals, who have, to put it mildly, struggled in 2026. At the time of this writing, after winning two straight against the Giants, the Royals are now 42-60, a smooth dozen games behind the White Sox and Guardians in the Central while 10.5 out of the final Wild Card spot.

McGonigle, a rookie for the Tigers, has been a highlight of a down year in the Motor City. After yesterday’s 11-2 clobbering at the hands of the Cubs, Detroit is 47-54, ahead of only the Royals in the Central while five back of the last playoff spot.

Alvarez’s Houston Astros are in the best shape of the trio. Having won two in a row, and despite still being five games below .500, the Astros are only three games back of the Rangers in the West while four back of Boston in the Wild Card race.

According to odds over at ESPN from yesterday, before Bob’s placement on the Injured List, Alvarez was the favorite to win the AL MVP with Witt coming in third behind Tampa’s Junior Caminero (4.1 bWAR). McGonigle didn’t crack this particular Top 10, but his teammate, catcher Dillon Dingler (3.7 bWAR), did.

That means that three of the top ten listed, including two of the top three, the frontrunner among them, play for teams with losing records.

Major League Baseball hands out the MVP to players from teams with losing records more than any other professional league in North America—MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL.

While Bobby Witt Jr.’s injury may set him back in joining this, um, select group, Yordan Alvarez has a real shot at it. Here are the fifteen others he’d be joining with notes on four others.

Al Rollins, Chicago Black Hawks, 1953-54

We begin with perhaps the most perplexing instance. It’s so weird because a) a goalie won the Hart trophy, which is always strange, and b) a goalie won the Hart trophy as his team (note that “Black” and “Hawks” are two different words, so this is some time ago) finished 12-51-7, good for 31 points. The Black Hawks finished sixth in the NHL that year.

Of course, there were only six teams in the NHL that year. The fifth-place team, the New York Rangers, finished with more than twice as many points as the Black Hawks earned. And yet, Chicago’s goalie, who himself finished 12-47-7, took home the MVP.

Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks, 1955-56

Another Hawk, this time in basketball and from St. Louis. Pettit led the league in scoring with 25.7 points per game as St. Louis finished 33-39 in their first year in Missouri after moving from Milwaukee, this all under legendary coach Red Holzman, who, until this year, was the most recent coach to lead the Knicks to a championship.

Despite the losing record, the Hawks reached the postseason, even winning a round over the Minneapolis Lakers before falling to the Fort Wayne Pistons in the conference finals.

Two years later, the Hawks won it all. Pettit followed that up in 1958-59 with his second MVP. In 1971, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Ernie Banks, Chicago Cubs, 1958

Lemme tell you something: the fifties loved it some losing MVPs. Banks became the first baseball player to achieve the feat as the Cubs finished 72-82, 20 games back of the first-place Milwaukee Braves. Mr. Cub, though, certainly delivered, as he posted 9.3 bWAR, taking home 2/3 of the Triple Crown with a league-leading 47 homers and 129 RBIs. He slashed .313/.366/.614.

Andy Bathgate, New York Rangers, 1958-59

Our second, and penultimate, hockey entry, Bathgate put up 88 points (40 goals, 48 assists) on his way to the Hart trophy for a Rangers team that ended the season 26-32-12, fifth in the six-team NHL. For some reason, voters named him the MVP over two players on the first-place, eventual champion Montreal Canadiens: Jean Béliveau finished third in voting after posting 91 points (45, 46) and his teammate, Dickie Moore, finished fifth after collecting 96 points (41, 55), which led the league.

Ernie Banks, Chicago Cubs, 1959

Evidently, Banks loved baseball so much, he said, “Let’s play two!” He loved winning the MVP for a bad team so much he immediately did it again in 1959: 10.2 bWAR, 45 home runs, 143 RBIs, .304/.374/.596.

Cubs final record: 74-80-1.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers, 1975-76

Big time jump as no North American professional athlete won the MVP as part of a losing team during all of the sixties and the first half of the seventies. Abdul-Jabbar ended up being the only one to achieve the feat in the seventies, doing so at the midway point for a Lakers team that finished just under .500, 40-42.

This was Abdul-Jabbar’s fourth MVP trophy, and it just so happened to occur during his first year with the Lakers. Los Angeles finished fourth in the Pacific, two games back of the Suns for a playoff spot.

That season, Abdul-Jabbar led the NBA in total rebounds per game (16.9) and blocks per game (4.1) while averaging 27.7 and 5 assists. He’d again win the MVP the following year, then once more in 1979-1980.

The 1975-76 season is the only time Abdul-Jabbar missed the playoffs in his career.

Andre Dawson, Chicago Cubs, 1987

For those keeping track, this was the third time a baseball player won the MVP while part of a losing team, and all of them were Cubs. Gee, I wonder if any baseball team will top that.

Andre “The Hawk” Dawson—another Hawk!—posted only 4.0 bWAR in 1987, which tied for 18th among NL batters, but he did lead the league in home runs with 49 and RBIs with 137, both of which were career highs for the Hall of Famer. He slashed .287/.328/.568. The Cubs finished 76-85, last in the National League East.

Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, 1987-88

Just 22, Mario Lemieux paced the National Hockey League in points in 1987-88 with 168, including a league-leading 70 goals and a staggering 98 assists. Lemieux posted even better numbers the following season, but came in second in voting for the Hart behind some guy named Wayne Gretzky.

Serious question: would you rather have a healthy Lemieux or Gretzky at his peak? I’m not so sure there’s an easy answer. Sure, one’s nicknamed “The Great One,” but if Lemieux didn’t miss so much time, it might be No. 66, not No. 99, retired across the NHL.

The Penguins finished 36-35-9, which is under .500 in hockey terms. Three years later, they lifted Lord Stanley’s Cup for the first time ever.

Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore Orioles, 1991

To this day, Ripken’s Iron Man streak overshadows how good of a ballplayer he was. Sure, he wouldn’t have started so many games in a row if he were a bum. But fans today forget that he posted nearly 100 bWAR while winning two Most Valuable Player awards, one when he was 22 in 1983, and this one, when he was 30.

For an awful Orioles team, one that finished 67-95, 24 games back of Toronto, Ripken, pardon the pun, ripped. He posted a career-high 11.5 bWAR while setting other career highs in home runs (34), RBIs (114), on-base percentage (.374), total bases (368, which led the league), and OPS+ (162). He also earned his first Gold Glove.

Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers, 2003

Another bit of a time-jump before Alex Rodriguez joins the club. A-Rod spent three years with the Rangers, who posted losing seasons all three years, with 2001 being the high mark with 73 wins.

In 2003, his last season not as a Yankee, Rodriguez won the first of three MVP awards. Rodriguez led the AL in bWAR (8.4), runs (124), home runs (47), and slugging percentage (.600) while capturing his second straight Gold Glove.

Oddly, 2003 looks like Rodriguez’s worst statistical season in Texas. I mean, dig it:

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels, 2016

The Angels finished 74-88 when Mike Trout won his second MVP. Trout led the league in bWAR (10.4), runs (123), walks (116), on-base percentage (.441), and OPS+ (173).

As you’re about to see, this sort of thing is about to become a trend in Anaheim.

Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins, 2017

Stanton had a season for the ages in his last year with the Marlins. He just missed 60 home runs on the year, still leading the Majors with 59. He added 132 RBIs, scored 123 runs, and slugged .631 for a Marlins team that finished 77-85, second in the National League East, but a full 10 games back of the final Wild Card.

The following offseason, Stanton forced his way out of Florida, choosing the Yankees as his next team. Injuries have hampered him during his time in the Bronx, though he did capture the ALCS MVP in 2024. He could very well become the first non-steroid tainted member of the 500-homer club to not make the Hall of Fame, but I doubt he gets there.

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels, 2019

Trout again. He won the MVP this time despite finishing behind others in bWAR, such as Houston’s Alex Bregman and Oakland’s Marcus Semien.

This was Trout’s third and, in all likelihood, final Most Valuable Player award. He has never won a postseason game.

Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels, 2021

Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels, 2023

Grouping these last two together as it’s the same dude with the same team. Man, Arte Moreno is a bad owner. Ten times has a player won the MVP in baseball while playing for a team with a losing record, and four of those have happened in the past decade with the Angels.

While Trout remains, Ohtani bolted in free agency for the Dodgers, where he’s enjoyed enormous success, individually and, more importantly, as a member of the team.

Before that, though, Ohtani languished with the Angels. The two-way star won his first MVP in 2021 as the Angels finished 77-85. At the plate, Ohtani scored 103 runs while smoking 46 home runs and driving in 100 RBIs. He slashed .257/.372/.592. On the mound, Ohtani started 23 games, going 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA, 1.090 WHIP, and 3.52 FIP. In total, he posted 9.0 bWAR—4.9 at the plate and 4.1 on the mound.

Two years later, as the Angels finished 73-89, Ohtani posted even better numbers at the plate as he slashed .304/.412/.654 with 44 homers and 95 RBIs. Pitching, he went 10-5 over 132 innings with 167 strikeouts, a 3.14 ERA and a 4.00 FIP.

Final Note

As you probably noticed, no NFL player has ever won the MVP while playing for a losing team. Since the AP started voting on the MVP in 1957, the closest a player has come to this is Barry Sanders in 1997, when the Lions finished 9-7.

From 1938 to 1946, the MVP equivalent was called the Joe F. Carr Trophy. Twice did a player win that hardware while playing for a team that finished 5-5-1. Cleveland Rams halfback Parker Hall did so in 1939 followed by Pittsburgh Steelers halfback Bill Dudley in 1946.

Finally, as far as I can tell, only one Major League Baseball player has won the MVP for a team that finished exactly .500—Robin Yount for the 1989 Milwaukee Brewers.

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Showdown: Mariners at Rangers Series Preview

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 21: Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers congratulates Brandon Nimmo #24 on his two run home run during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Globe Life Field on July 21, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After a backbreaking loss to the Reds on Wednesday, the Mariners head into this huge series against the Rangers still searching for answers to their woes. The trade deadline is quickly approaching and this series in Texas along with next week’s series in Los Angeles against the Dodgers will have a lot of bearing on how the team approaches upgrading the roster. There are clear areas of need on the roster, and the team is firmly in win-now territory, but dropping well below .500 during this road trip should force the team to ask some really tough questions.

GameTimeMariners StarterRangers StarterMariners Win%Rangers Win%
Game 1Friday, July 24 | 5:05 pmRHP Bryce MillerLHP MacKenzie Gore47.3%52.7%
Game 2Saturday, July 25 | 4:15 pmRHP Bryan WooRHP Nathan Eovaldi50.9%49.1%
Game 3Sunday, July 26 | 11:35 amRHP Logan GilbertRHP Jacob deGrom47.1%52.9%
Game 4Monday, July 27 | 11:35 amRHP George KirbyRHP Kumar Rocker52.8%47.2%
*Game odds courtesy of FanGraphs
OverviewMarinersRangersEdge
Batting (wRC+)99 (9th in AL)104 (3rd in AL)Rangers
Fielding (FRV)-26 (14th)-9 (11th)Rangers
Starting Pitching (FIP-)88 (2nd)98 (8th)Mariners
Bullpen (FIP-)92 (5th)99 (9th)Mariners

For their part, the Rangers aren’t exactly running away with the AL West right now despite the Mariners’ struggles. Texas lost its series to the White Sox earlier this week and maintains a slim half game lead over Seattle in the division. More importantly, the Rangers lead the season series 4-2; anything more than a split in this series would guarantee they hold the tiebreaker if the division race comes down to the wire in September.

The offensive woes that plagued this roster last year haven’t really improved; they’re 22nd in runs scored this year, same as they were last season. The big difference is that their pitching staff isn’t leading the majors in run prevention, sliding down to 14th thanks to a shakier starting rotation and a poorer bullpen. They finished last year at .500 and they’re sitting at that exact record this season. Nothing has really changed except for the league context around them.

PlayerPositionBatsPAK%BB%ISOwRC+
Joc PedersonDHL30523.0%11.8%0.244130
Wyatt LangfordLFR21621.3%6.0%0.228133
Josh Jung3BR39617.9%8.3%0.147127
Brandon NimmoRFL40921.5%7.8%0.163115
Jake Burger1BR39826.4%7.5%0.182100
Ezequiel DuranSSR34924.1%7.4%0.167111
Evan CarterCFL27923.7%12.2%0.14985
Nicky Lopez2BL14614.4%2.7%0.045101
Elias DíazCR10819.4%1.9%0.18388

The Rangers have gotten almost nothing out of Corey Seager this year; he’s only played in 51 games, has an 86 wRC+, and is currently on the IL with a recurring back issue. Luckily, Wyatt Langford has stepped up to lead the lineup, though he’s dealt with his own injury issues this year too. The young outfielder is displaying a lot more power even though his contact quality has taken a bit of a step back this year. The Rangers are also enjoying bounce back seasons from Josh Jung and Joc Pederson. The former is finally healthy and has significantly improved his plate discipline and the latter is simply back to crushing right-handed pitching like he has throughout his career. 

The back half of the lineup is pretty messy. Ezequiel Duran is doing his best to cover for Seager’s absence and Nicky Lopez and Elias Díaz have been pressed into full-time roles thanks to a number of other injuries. 

Probable Pitchers 

Updated Stuff+ Explainer 

PitcherIPK%BB%HR/FB%GB%ERAFIP
MacKenzie Gore110.225.7%8.8%11.0%37.0%4.803.82
Bryce Miller63.129.5%4.1%12.7%39.5%2.273.23
PitchUsage vRHBUsage vLHBVelocityStuff+Whiff+BIP+xwOBA
Four-seam48.1%34.6%95.495105950.307
Sinker1.0%18.2%95.21021121500.394
Cutter11.6%0.0%89.994112680.375
Changeup13.9%0.0%86.793115500.172
Curveball25.3%6.2%81.810898900.316
Slider0.1%40.9%85.799741260.290

From a previous series preview:

MacKenzie Gore was the Rangers’ big offseason acquisition in January. After being included in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade (the first one from Washington to San Diego), Gore has established himself as a solid frontline starter over the last few years. His secondary weapons are all fantastic — he’s the only pitcher in baseball to feature four pitches with whiff rates north of 35% — but he’s often let down by an inconsistent fastball. When he’s locating his heater well, it can give opposing batters fits. But too often — and particularly during the second half of the season when he’s worn down significantly — his locations will leak into the middle of the zone and batters will punish the pitch.

Gore was pretty solid through the first three months of the season, running a 4.05 ERA and a 3.43 FIP through the end of June. July hasn’t been kind to him, however — he’s allowed 18 runs in 19.2 innings this month — and it looks like he’s about to stumble through another second-half slide like he has every season before this. In his two starts against the Mariners this year, he held them scoreless at home in five innings and then gave up five runs in five innings in Seattle the next time around.

PitcherIPK%BB%HR/FB%GB%ERAFIP
Nathan Eovaldi115.125.3%5.8%20.4%49.8%4.214.35
Bryan Woo110.124.2%4.9%8.8%38.1%4.163.22
PitchUsage vRHBUsage vLHBVelocityStuff+Whiff+BIP+xwOBA
Four-seam12.9%13.6%94.6901001000.424
Sinker17.6%0.1%93.5101641710.332
Cutter13.2%24.4%90.595120950.366
Splitter34.0%39.7%88.595100910.274
Curveball22.3%22.2%76.4101126810.233

From a previous series preview:

Nathan Eovaldi has been forced to figure out how to do more with less (fastball velocity). Last year, he dropped the usage of his four-seam fastball by nearly 15 points, added a sinker to his repertoire, and increased the usage of his cutter and curveball. The result was a pitch mix that was a lot less predictable and a lot less dependent on his deteriorating velocity. Unfortunately, elbow and shoulder injuries derailed the success he was seeing with his new approach, and he spent most of the second half of the season on the shelf.

Eovaldi has dramatically shifted away from his fastball this year, dropping its usage to just 13%. He’s now throwing his splitter and curveball more than half the time, though that shift in pitch mix hasn’t exactly resulted in great topline results. He’s been pretty inconsistent throughout the year despite leaning on his two big swing-and-miss pitches. Previously against the Mariners, he allowed two runs in six innings in Arlington and then four runs in five innings back in Seattle. 

PitcherIPK%BB%HR/FB%GB%ERAFIP
Jacob deGrom105.130.2%5.7%13.3%35.2%3.763.33
Logan Gilbert12027.3%5.3%10.9%35.8%3.383.33
PitchUsage vRHBUsage vLHBVelocityStuff+Whiff+BIP+xwOBA
Four-seam40.7%43.1%97.2107118820.354
Sinker4.4%0.1%96.2
Changeup3.1%20.7%89.8108143720.222
Curveball3.8%8.1%80.71041571470.194
Slider48.0%28.0%91.11121201010.253

From a previous series preview:

Last year, Jacob deGrom made 30 starts for the first time since 2019 and crossed the 150 IP threshold for just the fifth time in his career. That health was the result of a conscious effort to pitch with a little less intensity. His fastball velocity was down about a tick from where it was at his peak, though it still averaged 97.5 mph. From a results standpoint, he ran his lowest strikeout rate since 2016 and the highest FIP of his career. Even in his diminished form, he was still one of the better pitchers in baseball, and as they say, the best ability is availability.

deGrom has continued to pitch excellently in his age-38 season, and more importantly, he’s stayed mostly healthy. In his two previous starts against the Mariners, he’s allowed a single run across nine innings.

PitcherIPK%BB%HR/FB%GB%ERAFIP
Kumar Rocker9620.9%8.8%11.5%44.6%4.134.16
George Kirby11621.8%5.2%9.2%47.0%3.573.24
PitchUsage vRHBUsage vLHBVelocityStuff+Whiff+BIP+xwOBA
Four-seam6.5%15.6%94.482111980.346
Sinker42.1%21.4%94.3100661210.399
Cutter13.4%16.1%90.38394950.409
Changeup0.0%8.9%88.772
Slider38.0%38.0%83.2941231110.209

Kumar Rocker has taken a big step forward this year, not because he’s improved his strikeout-to-walk ratio in any meaningful way, but simply because he isn’t allowing as much hard contact. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is essentially unchanged from where it’s been during his first two seasons in the big leagues, but his hard hit and barrel rates allowed have dropped significantly. The biggest change in his profile is a greater emphasis on his death ball slider; he’s throwing it 38% of the time, is running a 41% whiff rate with it, and opposing batters have produced a .211 wOBA against it. His other pitches don’t stand out in any meaningful way, so it really seems like his improvement stems from leaning on his best pitch a lot more often.

The Big Picture:

TeamW-LW%Games BehindRun DiffRecent Form
Rangers51-510.500—-30W-L-L-W-L
Mariners51-520.4950.5+17W-W-W-L-L
Astros50-540.4812.0-45L-L-W-W-W
Athletics43-590.4228.0-122W-L-W-L-L
Angels41-620.39810.5-58L-W-W-W-L
TeamW-LW%Games BehindRun DiffRecent Form
Yankees57-450.559+4.5+88L-W-W-L-W
Guardians54-500.519+0.5-6L-W-W-L-L
Red Sox52-490.515—+45W-W-W-W-L
Mariners51-520.4952.0+17W-W-W-L-L
Twins51-530.4902.5-30L-L-L-W-W

The Astros bounced back from being swept last weekend by sweeping the Marlins this week; they’ll head to Chicago to face the White Sox this weekend. We’re fans of the Athletics this weekend as they take on the Twins in Minnesota. The Red Sox finally had their win streak snapped at 15 games on Wednesday, but they’ve opened up a two-game lead in the Wild Card race. Boston hosts the Blue Jays this weekend.

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LeBron James' long career will continue with the Philadelphia 76ers. Where did it begin?

LeBron James is a name known to everyone now whether they follow the NBA or not.

On Friday, June 25, the future NBA Hall-of-Famer once again made headlines as he announced that he will be finishing his playing career with the Philadelphia 76ers. James, now 41, spent the last eight seasons in Los Angeles where he won an NBA title in 2020 and also became the league's all-time leading scorer during that stretch.

However, long before he was establishing himself as one of the all-time greats in the NBA, James was one of the fastest rising high school phenoms.

It didn't take James playing in college or staring in the NBA early on for him to become nationally known. James played his high school days St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron (OH) from 1999-2003.

He became a star as a freshman, averaging 21 points and 6.2 rebounds while leading the Fighting Irish to a 23-1 record and the Division III state championship. The next year he was even better, averaging 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 3.8 steals.

Those stats earned him USA TODAY All-USA First Team honors along with the Ohio Mr. Basketball award and he once again led the team to the Division IIII state championship as they finished the year 26-1.

It was James' junior year that fully put him on the national radar.

That year he became known as 'The Chosen One' after being featured on a Sports Illustrated cover in February of 2002. He averaged 29 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 3.3 steals en route to becoming the first junior to ever win Gatorade Player of the Year honors.

As a senior is when James was at his best. He averaged 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.4 steals, leading the Fighting Irish to a 25-1 record. That year he scored a high school career-best 52 points in a win over Westchester (CA) and also led them to an upset-win over Oak Hill Academy, which was then ranked as the No. 1 team in the country.

The Fighting Irish went 101-6 during James' career and he finished his high school career with 2,646 points. Cleveland selected him with the first pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and the rest is history.

Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: JSpears@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James' long career will continue with the Philadelphia 76ers. Where did it begin?

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Contest Time: Guess Which Jays Will Be Gone By The Deadline

Jul 12, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) delivers during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

So now that we are firmly in the sell camp, let’s have a contest to guess which players will be traded away.

The problem the Jays have is that they don’t have that guy who will net them top prospects. They don’t have Tarik Skubal, who will be the one that everyone will be bidding on, and the price will be very high.

I think Kevin Gausman will likely bring the biggest return, but he hasn’t looked great lately. He has a 7.85 ERA in his last six starts. Only one of them was a good start. I don’t know how other teams will view him.

On the other hand, Shane Bieber has had a couple of great starts in a row. Small sample and all, but he might be a bigger draw for a contending team at the moment. But he’s only had 6 starts, and I’d worry about his injury history.

George Springer? He’s having a poor season, but there have been some good signs of late. He’s hitting .286/.342/.514 in July. He’s been in the playoffs a bunch. He’s clearly well-liked in the clubhouse. On the other side of it, he’s really only a DH now. I think the Jays played him in the outfield to try to suggest to other teams ‘he can do this’ if they needed.

Daulton Varsho? Well, he hasn’t helped his trade value. I don’t think you take on a project at the deadline. But, who knows. Yimi Garcia? I don’t think there is another time to prove he can pitch before the deadline, but maybe?

Someone who isn’t in their final contract year? I don’t see it. Varland won’t be traded unless someone really overbids, and I can’t imagine it. Same with Rogers. Any other reliever? Hoffman? I don’t think it will happen. Maybe one of the lefties?

Nathan Lukes? He’s not a free agent until 2031, so I don’t see that there is a reason for the Jays to deal him. And I don’t see him as a guy a team would overpay to get.

Jesus Sanchez? I don’t think there is enough time to prove he’s healthy and, even if he could, he’d have to prove he can hit the ball.

Anyway, tell us who the Jays will trade before the deadline. We’ll give a point for each one you get right and subtract one for each one you get wrong.

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LeBron James signs with the 76ers

LeBron James standing next to Joel Embiid.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 5: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles before the game on February 5, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The biggest drama of the NBA offseason has concluded and, unfortunately, the Golden State Warriors did not get a rose. On Friday morning, superstar LeBron James announced that he would be signing with the Philadelphia 76ers. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, with James announcing it on social media a minute later. Per Charania, it’s a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option.

James free agency dragged on for nearly a month after his shocking departure from the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons. Reunions with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat seemed the most likely, but a pairing with Steph Curry and his close friend Draymond Green on the Warriors was a distinct possibility as well. As the month wore on, it appeared that those three, plus the Sixers and Minnesota Timberwolves, were the favorites, though no one was sure which way James was leaning.

Ultimately, it appears that James is chasing a chance at a fifth ring over anything else. He turned down far more lucrative offers, moved across the coast from his family, and didn’t opt for the glamor of Miami, New York, or LA, while picking a team that might become title favorites with him in the fold. In a thread on X, James, who revealed that he was very close to retiring at the end of the season, said, “This is my last decision. 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 another championship.”

James now joins a revamped Sixers team that has pulled off the two most shocking moves of the offseason: signing the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and trading Paul George for Jaylen Brown. With James, Brown, former MVP Joel Embiid, star guard Tyrese Maxey, and breakout rookie V.J. Edgecombe, the Sixers are fielding a wildly competitive team. Ultimately, that was more appealing to James that staying in California and golfing with Curry and Green while playing for a presumably less competitive team.

The Dubs now will pivot to re-signing Green (who had opted out of his deal to facilitate a potential James signing), and using the mid-level exception to bolster the roster.

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Giants-Angels Series Preview

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 19: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 19, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images

No reason to be cute with the headline or insightful with the commentary. These are two bad teams beyond redemption. The Giants have had just 2 winning seasons since 2016 (2016 & 2021), but the Angels haven’t had any — 2026 will mark their 11th consecutive losing season… basically, they’ve been losers since they fully dropped Anaheim from their name (Anaheim Angels —> Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim —> The Los Angeles Angels (since 2016). What’s the Giants’ excuse? Um, well…

The Giants are bad in some heartbreaking ways. Whether it’s coming up short despite efficiency gains from Farhan Zaidi’s process or Buster Posey’s “What if we took computers out of the game, and experience, and focused on batting average and pitchers who remind me of when I won championships?” strategy, the Giants have managed to squander the talent they’ve been able to assemble.

Outside of Mike Trout, the Angels don’t really “do” talent. Since the start of the 2016 season, their position player group has been worth a total of 139.5 fWAR (23rd in MLB) and their pitching group 107.1 (28th). They’re 731-890, record-wise (23rd). Now, before you get too cocky as a Giants fan, their 164.5 fWAR is just 20th over this same span and their pitching value of 143.2 fWAR is just 13th. Their 800-820 record is 15th. Yes, the Giants have been better and still might be better in this series, but we’re very much about to watch a slap fight between two very stupid and untalented teams.

The Angels have a rotten owner situation as well, though its not a consortium of interests like the Giants, it’s one just Arte Moreno, whose whimsy and caprice has taken a team that embarrassed the Giants in the 2002 World Series and made them into one of the heartiest laughingstocks in professional sports. Their most recent headline?

They had to fire The Baseball Spy.

The scout, Justin “Boomer” Prinstein, had only been hired by the Angels in December. He was let go shortly after the team was alerted to the incident by Major League Baseball, according to team and league sources briefed on the situation but not authorized to speak publicly.

Prinstein had been scouting the Rockies ahead of the Angels’ home series against Colorado from June 1-3. While seated in a section at Coors Field designated for scouts, he was spotted filming coaches on his phone during a game by a member of the Rockies organization. While scouts filming is generally considered a legal practice, using technology to steal or decode signs is not allowed.

[…]

The Rockies won the series between the two clubs, which own the worst records in their respective leagues. 

Ohhhh, but… Humm Baby, here come the Giants! They’re just 1 win better than either team as of this morning. Does this mean that the Giants are as bad as the Rockies and Angels? Well, I would say yes. Regardless of how the on-paper talent might stack up, didn’t the Giants’ fanbase just spend 6 years waging a war against process to assert the dominance of results? For all their efforts, the Giants are as bad as these Angels.

But it’s good that the Giants are on a 5-game losing streak because the Angels serve as the best chance to snap a losing streak. The Angels are 5-11 in July with a -13 run differential. They’re 17-34 on the road this season. Their starting pitching has been slightly more valuable than the Giants’ (7.2 fWAR to 6.0), and their bullpen has been better, too (1.1 fWAR to 0.0) — their relievers strikeout nearly 2 batters per 9 more than the Giants, though walk slightly more. Offensively, they’ve been about as good as the Royals (96 wRC+ to KC’s 97). But their position player group is just dreadful, defensively. -24.1 Defensive Runs Above Average, the worst in the sport. This is why they’re just slightly worse than the Giants.

Let’s circle back to The Baseball Spy story to close out here because I want to give this post a little personality. The Spy has two nicknames? He’s both “Boomer” and The Baseball Spy? And he’s 42 years old? Oof. Here’s another example of Millenial Incompetence. We really are a failed generation, aren’t we? See other examples of failed Millenials: Mike Trout himself. Zack Minasian. Buster Posey. Most ICE agents are Millenials. Angels manager Kurt Suzuki willingly took a 1-year contract just to get the chance to manage a major league team. Have some self respect! My generation hasn’t risen to meet our moment, have we?

Well, I guess Millenials did help bring the Giants their first championships in San Francisco history. But, you know, except for that… don’t count on us to be in charge of anything important.

Series Overview

Who: San Francisco Giants (42-60) vs. Los Angeles Angels (41-62)
Where: Oracle Park | San Francisco, California
When: Friday at 7:15pm PT, Saturday & Sunday at 1:05pm PT
National broadcasts: None

Projected starters
Friday: Logan Webb (RHP 5-7, 3.87 ERA) vs. Grayson Rodriguez (RHP 3-3, 8.23 ERA)
Saturday: Robbie Ray (LHP 8-6, 3.33 ERA) vs. Ryan Johnson (RHP 2-4, 6.10 ERA)
Sunday: TBD vs. Jose Soriano (RHP 8-6, 3.43 ERA)

Players to watch

Angels

Mike Trout: Last year, he played 130 games for the first time since 2019 and managed to hit 20% better than the league average. This year, he’s had a hamstring issue that caused him to miss nearly a month, but he has a 136 wRC+ in 379 PA, so, he’s good and back, right, even at 34 years old? In 10 games off the IL, he’s slashing just .237/.341/.368, so, he could start to get hot in this series or maybe he’s in decline. What’s fun about the Giants being bad is that we won’t know for sure.

Jorge Soler: This is the final year of the 3-year deal Farhan Zaidi signed him to in the 2023-2024 offseason. It was great that he was able to move the contract as soon as he did. It’s not as though Soler was a total flameout of a contract, but the results were entirely predictable. He was great for Atlanta right after the trade (.243/.356/.493), but since they traded him to the Angels after 2024, he’s hit just .210/.293/.381 over his last 161 games. In July, he’s 8-for-52 with just 4 doubles as extra base hits. 4 walks against 23 strikeouts.

Grayson Rodriguez: The first starter of the series was the return for a curious trade Zack Minasian’s brother Perry made in the offseason, when the Angels shipped Taylor Ward to the Orioles for the talented, but injured Rodriguez. He had a bit of a breakout in 2024, and in his first two seasons was 20-8 in 43 starts with a 4.11 ERA and 3.9 fWAR in value. Then, he had elbow surgery. Since returning, he’s been shaky. He’s made 8 starts for the Angels and on top of an 8.23 ERA he has a 5.22 FIP. After averaging around 10 K/9 in those first two seasons, he’s down to 6.9 and his 2.9 BB/9 is up to 4.4. Still, he throws 96.

Wade Meckler: Okay, but like, the former Giant has a .798 OPS in 147 plate appearances. He’s 9-for-his-last-19 and has just 3 strikeouts. He’s like their own Luis Arraez!

Giants

Logan Webb: For his career, he has a 2.92 ERA at Oracle Park, but this season it’s 3.74 thanks to three notable blowups: Opening Night against the Yankees, against the Padres, and against the Blue Jays. The Angels don’t hit a lot of groundballs and strikeout a lot, but they have such an eclectic mix of power and free swingers that one bad defensive inning could lead to an easy win for them/loss for the Giants.

Robbie Ray: Will this be his final start in a Giants uniform?

Luis Arraez: The Angels have a pretty funny split against left-handed hitting. They have a .747 OPS against them, compared to .684 from righties. I expect him to feast, boosting his trade value.

Willy Adames: He was just 4-for-22 on this road trip, but 3 of those hits were homers. Then again, on the last homestand, he was just 5-for-25. Is he good? Is he actually heating up in the second half as he usually does, or are we all drunk off dingers?

Prediction time

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Guardians vs. Rays prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for July 24

The Cleveland Guardians (54-50) open a three-game series at Tropicana Field tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays (59-43) in a matchup of playoff contenders from opposite divisions. Cleveland sits second in the AL Central, while Tampa Bay leads the AL East.

 

The Guardians come to St. Petersburg after a frustrating 3-1 loss in 12 innings to the Twins yesterday. Cleveland managed only one run in dropping their second straight. The bats have failed the Guardians the last two games. Cleveland was just 16-78 (.205) at the plate in the losses. The Rays also enter the series looking to bounce back from a loss, falling 3-1 to the Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon in Toronto. Tampa Bay scored just one run after scoring 23 runs in the previous three games of the series (all wins).

 

Cleveland will send left-hander Joey Cantillo (8-5, 3.74 ERA) to the mound. The 26-year-old last pitched on July 19 against Pittsburgh, taking the loss in a 7-1 defeat. He threw 5.0 innings, allowing seven hits and four earned runs while striking out seven and walking three. Despite the rough outing, he had been pitching well before that start, allowing just one earned run while striking out nine in a win over Miami on July 12. Tampa Bay counters with their ace, left-hander Shane McClanahan, who enters the game with an 8-6 record and a 3.16 ERA over 18 starts. McClanahan's last outing came on July 19 at Boston, where he suffered a tough loss after allowing 5 earned runs over 5.0 innings in a 6-1 Rays defeat. Prior to that start, however, he had been dominant, throwing 12⅓ consecutive scoreless innings over wins against the Yankees and Royals.

 

Diamond Note: The Rays are 35-15 at home.

 

Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.

 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

 

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

 

Game Details and How to Watch: Guardians vs. Rays

 

  • Date: Friday, July 24, 2026
  • Time: 7:10PM EST
  • Site: Tropicana Field
  • City: St. Petersburg, FL
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, CLEGuardians.TV, Rays.TV

 

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

 

The Latest Odds: Guardians vs. Rays

The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Cleveland Guardians (+118), Tampa Bay Rays (-142)
  • Spread: Guardians +1.5 (-186), Rays -1.5 (+153)
  • Total: 7.5 runs

 

Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Guardians vs. Rays for July 24

  • Guardians: Joey Cantillo
    Season Totals: 106.0 IP, 8-5, 3.74 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 112K, 52 BB
  • Rays: Shane McClanahan
    Season Totals: 91.0 IP, 8-6, 3.16 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 85K, 31 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Guardians vs. Rays

  • Jose Ramirez is 2-8 since returning from the injured list
  • Ramirez is 2-6 in his career against McClanahan including 1 HR
  • Chase DeLauter saw his 7-game hitting streak snapped yesterday (0-4)
  • Cedric Mullins is 1-3 in his career against Joey Cantillo with the lone hit being a HR
  • Steven Kwan is riding a modest 3-game winning streak (6-12) and has hit safely in 9 of his last 10 games (17-36)
  • Nick Fortes has hit in 4 straight games (7-15)
  • Junior Caminero has not homered in 7 games
  • Caminero has 6 HRs in July

 

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Guardians vs. Rays

 

  • The Guardians are 55-49 on the Run Line this season
  • The Rays are 60-42 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 49 times in games involving the Guardians this season (49-55)
  • The OVER has cashed 46 times in games involving the Rays this season (46-51-5)

Expert picks & predictions: Guardians vs. Rays

 

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

 
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

 

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

 

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Rays and the Guardians:

 

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Rays on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Rays on the Run Line.
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.0.

 

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LeBron James chooses Philadelphia, will join team on two-year, $8 million deal

Throughout this dragged-out process, LeBron James has said that winning — playing in meaningful games with an opportunity to chase a fifth ring — was his top priority. Friday he backed up those words.

After taking nearly a month to make his decision, LeBron is signing a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN, who got the news from LeBron's agent Rich Paul.

LeBron joins a stacked East team featuring point guard Tyrese Maxey and just-acquired wing Jaylen Brown — both All-NBA players last season — as well as Joel Embiid, who showed last year during the playoffs against Boston he is still capable of taking over a series and winning it for his team. The team also has VJ Edgecombe at the two, power forward Dean Wade (who likely moves to a bench role now), plus depth in Anfernee Simons, Ariel Hukporti, and promising rookie Labaron Philon Jr.

LeBron said from the start he was going to take his time with his decision and let major moves — like the trades of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown — take place first. When the dust settled a little, he would make his call. From the start, LeBron said this was not about money, it was about being competitive for a title and his happiness.

That landed him in Philadelphia with a team that will join the Knicks as the early favorites to come out of the East. While LeBron is betting on Embiid's knees to hold up in the playoffs, the depth of this roster with him on it makes the load Embiid needs to carry for the first 82 games that much lighter.

In LeBron, the 76ers get a four-time champ and the league's all-time leading scorer who is still playing at an All-Star level despite entering his record 24th NBA season at age 41. Last season with the Lakers he averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds a game, playing in 60 games.

LeBron can't take over a game (or a full playoff series) like he once did, but he can rise to that level for a stretch — a quarter, a half — and will a team to a win. He showed that in the playoffs, when the Lakers were without the injured Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves against Houston, and LeBron took on his familiar role as the primary scorer and shot creator, leading the Lakers to a series win.

With this decision, expect a quick rush of other free agency moves — a lot of deals were held up waiting for LeBron to make his call. Cleveland, Philadelphia and Golden State all had moves on hold, plus players such as DeMar DeRozan and Jonathan Kuminga were waiting for this decision so that the rest of the market to shake out.

Mike Gansey may have locked up Executive of the Year with this move. Gansey was brought in to replace Darryl Morey as the President of Basketball Operations for the Philadelphia and he has had as good a summer as anyone. He took advantage of the Celtics' salary dumping Jaylen Brown, then convinced LeBron to finish his career with a team he had not been on before, which comes with a sense of unfamiliarity. The 76ers enter next season as a legit threat to make the NBA Finals.

Ultimately, that's what LeBron James wanted.

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Three players the Dodgers need to acquire before the trade deadline

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 26: From left: Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Gomes, minority owner Alan Smolinisky and manager Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers talk on the field prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on May 26, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The countdown to the 2026 trade deadline keeps ticking, and all 30 teams will need to decide whether to buy or sell.

For a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers, buying at the deadline has become an annual expectation, even with a relatively weaker deadline spree last year. While the team currently boasts the best record in the sport, they’ve done so despite the numerous injuries to several big name players.

With gaps to fill at every facet of the team, here are three players that the Dodgers need to acquire before the trade deadline expires.

Offense— Mitch Garver, C, SEA

Looking at the overall numbers, Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver has had a season to forget. The 35-year-old is slashing just .184/.311/.316 across 135 plate appearances, and with Cal Raleigh having recently returned from injury, Garver is once again relegated to backup duties behind home plate.

Despite the poor numbers, Garver fills the Dodgers’ most crucial offensive hole. Will Smith has been on the injured list since early June, and with him being transferred to the 60-day IL, they are in need of a catcher to hit against left-handed pitching.

Dalton Rushing has received the lion’s share of opportunities in Smith’s absence, and although he has great numbers against southpaws on the year (.255/.345/.412), he has mired in an 2-23 slump since July 6. The Dodgers backup options behind Rushing, both Chuckie Robinson and Eliézer Alfonzo, have combined to hit .114 (4-35) in that time.

Garver has been successful in his sparse opportunities against left-handers (.229/.351/.333), and he has championship pedigree after winning it all with the Texas Rangers in 2023. If and when Smith returns in the regular season, Garver can be a platoon option at first base or designated hitter if Freddie Freeman or Shohei Ohtani deal with ailments.

Rotation— Clay Holmes, RHP, NYM

The Dodgers starting rotation has been one of the best in baseball, even with injuries to both Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell and youngsters Roki Sasaki and Emmet Sheehan struggling to find their footing.

The only consistent right-handed arm in the rotation is Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and with Shohei Ohtani being shut down for the mean time, another right-handed starter fills the rotation’s needs. For a New York Mets team that is free falling, right-hander Clay Holmes would help fortify the pitching staff.

Holmes has been out since May due to a right fibula fracture, but he began a rehab assignment on July 18. When healthy, he has put up a 2.39 ERA with 45 strikeouts and 18 walks over 52 2/3 innings. The 33-year-old has a combined 3.26 ERA across his last 42 appearances (40 starts) since joining the Mets, and he adds some much needed flexibility for the overall pitching staff once the injured starters make their returns.

Bullpen— Daniel Lynch VI, LHP, KC

The Dodgers bullpen has had a remarkable turnaround this season, and that includes relievers such as Tanner Scott having a bounce back season in his second year with the club. Injuries to Evan Phillips, Edwin Díaz and Blake Treinen have limited their options at the back end of the bullpen, but the front end is the bigger issue to highlight.

Daniel Lynch VI of the Kansas City Royals has put himself in a prime position to be moved at the deadline. He currently leads all Royals relievers in both bWAR and fWAR, sporting a 2.13 ERA and a 0.921 WHIP on the season. His strikeout numbers are slightly up from last year (7.2 strikeouts per nine innings), but he has found success by limiting the long ball and keeping the ball on the ground.

Lynch also has experience in the rotation, as he has made 56 starts over his first five seasons before transitioning to the bullpen full-time. The Dodgers could use another flex option beside Eric Lauer, who could face a demotion from the rotation once Snell and Glasnow return, and Lynch would provide more than serviceable work at the front end of the bullpen while also adding needed length if the rest of the bullpen gets taxed early. Lynch won’t turn 30-years-old until Nov. 17, and he is eligible for arbitration this offseason.

Posted on

LeBron James signs with Philadelphia 76ers on stunning 2-year deal

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 5: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 5, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

LeBron James is trying to win the NBA’s GOAT argument on longevity, and he’s somehow still going strong on the brink of his 42nd birthday. James isn’t the best player in the NBA anymore, but he proved last season with the Los Angeles Lakers that he can still carry a team for long stretches and look like an All-NBA player in his best moments. James hit free agency for the fourth time in his career this summer, and now he has announced his next chapter after eight years in LA.

James announced he’s signing with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2026-27 season, in a move first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania. This will be the 24th season of his career, and he’s spending it with a team no one could have seen coming a few weeks ago.

The Sixers put themselves in position to land James with their shocking Jaylen Brown trade with the Boston Celtics. James joins a lineup that includes Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe next to Brown. I posited that the Sixers were the frontrunners for James over the weekend, but this is still a true stunner. Maxey is another Klutch client, and given Rich Paul’s comments about the Cavs’ decision to trade Darius Garland, that might be meaningful here.

James is signing a two-year, $8 million deal with Philadelphia, per Charania. James put out the following statement on Twitter after agreeing to sign with Philly:

I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but 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. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give. The last few weeks have really been special. I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think. I’ve had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out. This is my last decision. 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 another championship. 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.   Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!

The Cavs selected James with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 draft. He took Cleveland to the 2007 NBA Finals in his fourth pro season, but eventually left in free agency for the Miami Heat in 2010. James led the Heat to the NBA Finals in all four seasons with the franchise, including winning his first two championships in 2012 and 2013. James hit free agency again in 2014, and decided to return to Cleveland, which led to the greatest moment of his NBA career.

James took the Cavs to the NBA Finals in fourth straight years, facing the Golden State Warriors every time. Though he only came away with one championship, it will go down in NBA history as one of the most impressive title runs ever. The 2016 Warriors broke the record for regular season wins by finishing 73-9. Golden State took a commanding 3-1 lead over Cleveland in the NBA Finals before Draymond Green’s Game 5 suspension swung the series. James and Kyrie Irving were incredible to close the series, with LeBron’s chasedown block sealing the improbable series comeback. It’s the only 3-1 comeback in NBA Finals history.

It’s hard to believe that James’ eight years with the Lakers were the most he spent consecutively with one team during his career. The Lakers made their big move after James’ first season with the franchise when they swung a trade for Anthony Davis in November of 2019. The covid pandemic interrupted the duo’s first season together, but when the league restarted inside the bubble, no one could beat the Lakers. James and Davis led Los Angeles to the 2020 championship by knocking off the Miami Heat, with James earning Finals MVP honors for the fourth time.

From there, LeBron’s Lakers tenure was full of false starts, from the doomed Russell Westbrook experiment to choosing Talen Horton-Tucker over Alex Caruso to eventually trading Davis for Luka Doncic. James announced he was leaving Los Angeles this summer, and that set up his move to the Sixers.

We had the Sixers at No. 12 in our way-too-early power rankings earlier this month after the first wave of free agency and trades. With LeBron, this team could easily talk itself into being the class of the East, and the biggest challenger to the New York Knicks for an NBA Finals berth.

New Sixers lead executive Mike Gansey really did this. LeBron James will end his career with the Sixers. I can’t believe it’s real.

Posted on

LeBron James set to sign with Philadelphia 76ers in NBA free agency blockbuster

LeBron James is headed to Philadelphia.Photograph: Jae C Hong/AP

LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8m deal that includes a player option. Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul confirmed the terms of the agreement to ESPN, and James addressed the move in a post on X on Friday morning, saying it came after he strongly considered retirement.

“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 said.

The move pairs the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and the newly acquired Jaylen Brown as Philadelphia bolster their roster in pursuit of a first NBA championship since 1983. James arrives after spending the past eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Related: LeBron James going to the Philadelphia 76ers is perfectly in character

The deal gives James the flexibility to become a free agent again after one season while limiting the 76ers’ long-term financial commitment. James made nearly $53m with the Lakers last season.

The 41-year-old wrote in his X post that he believed he was “done” and had played the final game of his storied NBA career before deciding to sign with Philadelphia for a record 24th season.

“I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game,” James rote. “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. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.

“The last few weeks have really been special. I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think. I’ve had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out. This is my last decision. 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 another championship.”

The 76ers went 45-37 last season and were swept in the second round of the playoffs by the eventual champion New York Knicks. They have been active this offseason, acquiring Brown, a five-time All-Star and the 2024 Finals MVP, earlier this month via trade. They have not advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 2001.

James is a four-time NBA champion, four-time MVP and the league’s all-time leading scorer. He is the NBA’s oldest active player and averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists for the Lakers last season. His announcement at the end of June that he would not return to the Lakers led to much speculation about his next destination, with Golden State, Cleveland and Miami – he led the latter two teams to championships – all floated as potential landing spots.

The signing will become official once it is completed under NBA rules.

“Thank you LA. Miami I’ll forever love and Northeast Ohio will always home!” James said in his post.

Posted on

LeBron James chooses the Philadelphia 76ers, will sign a two-year, $8-million deal

LeBron James wears a backward cap and holds his left hand to his chin
LeBron James took his time pondering where he would play next after eight seasons with the Lakers. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

After nearly a month of mulling his options, LeBron James announced in a social media post that he will sign with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year $8 million contract.

James, a small forward, will join guards Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe, forward Jaylen Brown and center Joel Embiid in a star-studded 76ers lineup. James’ deal includes a player option, Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul told ESPN.

In a series of X.com posts, James said he contemplated retirement before choosing the 76ers over several other suitors.

“I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give,” he said.

James will hope to break a 43-year championship drought for the 76ers, much the same way he erased a 52-year streak without a title for the city of Cleveland when he won a championship with the Cavaliers in 2016.

This likely will be the final free agency decision James will make as the 41-year-old enters a record-breaking 24th season. He said winning a fifth NBA title is his primary motivation.

“This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point?” James wrote on X. “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 another championship.

“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.”

The 76ers finished 45-37 and seventh in the NBA Eastern Conference last season. However, they traded for Brown, a bona fide superstar, sending Paul George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round picks to the Boston Celtics on July 6. Brown, a nine-year veteran, averaged 28.7 points a game last season and helped the Celtics win the NBA title in 2024.

Read more:'Athlete of the century' LeBron James pays tribute to USC staff members who saved Bronny three years ago

This was the fourth foray into free agency for James, 41, who will begin his unprecedented 24th NBA season in October. He played the previous eight seasons with the Lakers, his longest continuous stint with any franchise.

It was widely reported that James would accept the $3.9 million veterans’ minimum exception. He will be paid far less than the approximately $57 million new teammates Embiid and Brown each will make, but James has made a record $584 million in career salary and his net worth is an estimated $1.4 billion thanks to endorsements and investments.

Reaction to the signing was swift. Nobody seemed more excited than Dawn Staley, the decorated South Carolina women’s basketball coach and a Philadelphia native. A longtime friend of James and his family, she posted a video while courtside at a game.

“Yo Philly, yo Philly, yo Philly! We got the King, y’all!” Staley said before telling James’ wife, Savannah, that she is available for advice on a school for the James’ daughter. “Savannah, we got you! ‘Bron, ‘Bron, good, great choice. My guy!”

James’ new teammates also expressed delight on social media. Maxey compared his recruiting skills to his college coach John Calipari, while Edgecombe recreated James’ famous “Can’t believe this is my life” meme.

James, an Akron, Ohio, native, played his first seven seasons with the Cavaliers after being the first overall draft pick in 2003 at age 18, spent four with the Miami Heat then returned to Cleveland for an additional four years before signing with the Lakers ahead of the 2018-2019 season. He has won four NBA championships, including one with the Lakers in 2020.

James informed the Lakers on June 30 that he would be signing elsewhere. Since then several teams made pitches for his services, with the Golden State Warriors, Heat, Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves considered favorites along with the 76ers.

Not only were fans of those teams anxious to learn his decision. Last week, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the regular-season schedule had not been set because the league was waiting on James.

“We have to finish up the schedule. And where LeBron plays will affect the schedule,” Silver said at the CNBC Sport x Boardroom Game Plan Summit in New York. “So I would like him to make his announcement already, so we can finish the schedule, because, as you might imagine, the teams are calling us, the networks are calling us, and everybody wants to lock in the schedule. But it will influence how we set the schedule, how we set opening week, Christmas Day, etc. So I need him to make a decision.”

A day later, James stood on stage at Fanatics Fest in New York and said he wanted to join a team that “shares the same model as myself, and that’s like practicing championship [habits] every day, but trusting the process more than anything.”

Read more:LeBron James and Lakers share gratitude as he leaves team, look ahead to what's next

A false alarm became part of the narrative when the Heat posted a link July 21 to a scheduled live stream titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference” to its YouTube channel. A team spokesperson said it was a mistake, that the club’s social media department was preparing for the possibility of James’ signing. The post was deleted.

James has announced his agreements with new teams in various ways. When he left the Cavaliers in 2010 to team with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Heat, he announced his choice on a live television special called “The Decision,” saying “I’m taking my talents to South Beach.” On Friday morning, a thread on X relayed the big news.

Fans in Cleveland burned his jersey, and Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert posted a letter on the team website calling James’ decision a “cowardly betrayal.”

Four years and two NBA championships with the Heat later, James returned to his home state of Ohio to play for the Cavaliers again in 2014. His first-person Sports Illustrated essay written with senior writer Lee Jenkins shared his “I’m Coming Home” choice with the world.

“I always believed that I’d return to Cleveland and finish my career there,” James wrote. “I just didn’t know when. After the season, free agency wasn’t even a thought. But I have two boys and my wife, Savannah, is pregnant with a girl. I started thinking about what it would be like to raise my family in my hometown. I looked at other teams, but I wasn’t going to leave Miami for anywhere except Cleveland.”

Read more:Life after LeBron: Austin Reaves embracing new role on new-look Lakers roster

James led the Cavaliers to four consecutive NBA Finals and a championship in 2016 when Cleveland overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Warriors. It was the greatest NBA Finals comeback in history and brought the Cavaliers their first title.

But it turns out most of his child-rearing came in Los Angeles. In 2018, James decided not to pick up his player option and signed a four-year, $153.3-million contract to play for the Lakers, choosing them over the 76ers and a return to the Cavaliers. His salary escalated each year, rising to $52.6 million last season.

“LA has welcomed the arrival of Rabbit, Logo, Stumpy, Big Dipper, Captain, Silk, Magic, Big Game, Diesel, Mamba, Spaniard and now welcomes a King!!” Lakers co-owner Joey Buss tweeted.

In James’ second season in L.A., the Lakers won their 17th NBA championship in a bubble at Walt Disney World to cap the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. James notched a triple-double in the clinching Game 6 and earned Finals most valuable player for the fourth time in his career.

James set the league all-time scoring record while wearing the purple and gold, but his eight seasons with the Lakers also included failures. The 2021-2022 season is widely regarded as the most disappointing in team history. The overwhelming favorite in Las Vegas to win the championship when the season began, the Lakers finished 33-49 and missed the playoffs.

The Lakers never made it past the Western Conference finals over the next four seasons, including getting swept in the conference semifinals by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2026. James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists last season while adding to his list of NBA records, setting marks for games played, all-time wins and field goals made.

Read more:Plaschke: LeBron James got out before Lakers could throw him out

The Lakers pivoted quickly after James announced he wouldn’t return, overhauling the roster to complement star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. They traded for 7-foot-2 center Walker Kessler and signed free agents Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and Kevon Looney.

Meanwhile, James methodically listened to pitches from a handful of teams, ultimately settling on the 76ers.

Rich Paul, James’ agent and close friend, said on a podcast Monday that the ample time James took making the decision was necessary because the choice was difficult.

“I think it’s important for people to understand: We’re not making this about attention and a spectacle,” Paul said. “It’s not about a ‘Decision’ or anything like that. He has a choice to make. He has a business choice to make.”

Giving himself the best shot at a fifth title was key. James has played in 302 postseason games, by far the most of any NBA player, and scored 20 or more points in 261 of them. His teams are 42-15 in playoff series and 188-114 in games. He has scored the most points in the playoffs (8,521) in addition to the most points in the regular season (43,440).

“It’s amazing what he’s done for the sport, for the league, and he deserves the opportunities that were presented to him to be able to make his own decision on what’s best for him and his family,” Silver said last week. “So I completely respect that.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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LeBron James to sign with 76ers: Live updates on new Philadelphia super team

For at least one more season, the King is coming back. He’ll just call a new place home.

LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, announced Friday, July 24 on social media that he has agreed to a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, ending his eight-season run with the Lakers. This becomes the fourth different franchise for James, marking the first time he will play under a new uniform since the start of the 2018 season. It also sets up an intriguing pairing with newly-acquired star forward Jaylen Brown and team mainstays Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.

James will sign a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, a person with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not publicly authorized to comment on the contract details.

“This is my last decision,” James said in his post on social media. “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 another championship.

“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.”

This deal brings James back for the 2026-27 season, which will be his 24th and will extend his record for most seasons played in NBA history.

This is a clear indication that the 76ers intend to compete with the New York Knicks and other top teams in the conference for supremacy in the East. After rallying from a 3-1 series deficit in the first round of the playoffs, Philadelphia upset the Boston Celtics, winning three consecutive games to advance into the conference semifinals.

That, however, was a different story. The Knicks completely overwhelmed the Sixers, sweeping them en route to New York’s first championship in 53 years. With James and Brown, Philadelphia’s offense will be a fascinating watch. Because of the availability issues with Embiid and former 76er Paul George, Maxey was forced to carry the scoring burden for much of the season. Maxey was also Philadelphia’s primary ball-handler, and James instantly brings a play-making force to help initiate offense.

Adding Rookie of the Year finalist VJ Edgecombe to the mix, the 76ers and coach Nick Nurse will need to find a way to distribute the ball cleanly and ensure that each player has his role clearly defined.

This is, to be sure, a good problem to have. But with all these stars on the roster, expectations – both internal and external – will be astronomical. So much, so that the only acceptable result, assuming full health, would be a deep run in the playoffs, at least with a trip to the conference finals.

This comes in the wake of Los Angeles getting swept in the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a series during which the Lakers were missing star player and NBA leading scorer Luka Dončić.

James became an unrestricted free agent after he played the final season of his contract in 2025-26, which was a player option. James and his agent, Rich Paul, had acknowledged in June 2025 that the Lakers were building for the future – a future that seemingly might not have included James.

The Lakers played extremely well down the stretch during the games when James, Dončić and Austin Reaves were healthy and available. Los Angeles won 16 of the 18 games prior to April 2, which was the night Dončić suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the year. The team then lost three in a row (including the game that Dončić left early), but James was instrumental in elevating the play of the Lakers, who also missed Reaves for extended stretches.

In particular, James, who turns 42 in December, was exceptional during the first-round series against the Houston Rockets, a series Los Angeles won in six games.

LeBron James contract details

James is set to sign a 2-year contract with the 76ers worth $8 million and it includes a player option for the second season, a person with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. This means James will essentially make the veteran's minimum during the 2026-27 season and will be the cheapest contract he has ever signed. Why?

Because he had the leverage and ability to do so, even at 41 years old. Here's more on why James signed such a small deal compared to other NBA superstars:

ANALYSIS: Why is LeBron James' contract with the Philadelphia 76ers so low?

LeBron James not done yet

Although he tied for the lowest scoring average of his career this season, James nonetheless scored 20.9 points per game, adding 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds, and shot 51.5% from the field, 31.7% on 3-pointers and 73.7% on free throws. He made the All-Star team for a league-record 22nd consecutive time.

“I thought I was done when the season ended,” James said. “I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but 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 decide if I still love this game.

“I still truly love this game, and I have more to give. The last few weeks have really been special. I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think. I’ve had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out.”

LeBron James stats

A 22-time All-Star and four-time MVP, James is also a four-time NBA champion – with four NBA Finals MVP trophies along the way. He’s a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team and had stops with the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), the Miami Heat and the Lakers. He won at least one NBA championship with each squad.

James is also a three-time Olympic gold medalist (2008, 2012, 2024) and won bronze in 2004.

On Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, after the Lakers drafted his eldest son, Bronny, the pair also became the first father-son duo to appear in a regular-season game together, in a 110-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

James already holds several NBA all-time records, including points scored (43,440), field goal attempts (31,502), minutes played (61,030) and he also holds the all-time record for nearly every major individual playoff statistic.

– Lorenzo Reyes

LeBron James' social media post

James took to social media for a long post about joining the 76ers, his desire to play another season, and more. You can read the full story here.

– Joe Rivera

76ers championship odds after LeBron signing

USA TODAY Sports' Jacob Camenker has an updated list of championship odds. Here is the section on Philadelphia.

4. Philadelphia 76ers (+1000)

No team has improved more during the 2026 NBA offseason than the 76ers. Not only did they ink LeBron on a two-year, minimum contract, they also traded Paul George and two first-round picks to add Jaylen Brown to their starting lineup. Adding those two talents to a strong core that already featured Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe could allow Philadelphia to emerge as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.

LeBron James signing reactions

The LeBron James signing sent the entire sports world into a spin on Friday; here are the best reactions to the summer's biggest free agency decision.

LeBron James day

Governor Josh Shapiro has added some declarations to the mix, making today LeBron James Day. — Gabe Zaldivar

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LeBron is going to be a Sixer (yes, this is real)

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 7: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers smile during the game on December 7, 2025 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Normally, when we write something along the lines of “it’s never a dull moment with the Sixers,” something either horrible or incredibly annoying has taken place.

For once, the news is unquestionably exciting.

LeBron James, arguably the greatest player to ever touch a basketball and one of the most successful athletes on the planet, is going to be a Philadelphia 76er.

So, I’m just going to type that again to allow you to truly soak it in.

LeBron James is going to be a Philadelphia 76er.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the four-time MVP and 22-time All-Star, will spend his 24th NBA season in the City of Brotherly Love. He will join Philadelphia on a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option.

Again, this is another opportunity for you to catch your breath and comprehend what is happening.

James, who will turn 42 in December, still appeared to have plenty left in the tank last season. In 60 games, he averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 33.2 minutes per game. He slots in seamlessly with a starting group already featuring Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid. The biggest way he helps the Sixers is with his elite passing and basketball IQ. With so many mouths to feed, LeBron’s unselfish brand of basketball will be a very welcomed addition to the starting group.

James released a statement on social media following the announcement. You can read the full thread here, but here is a big highlight:

“This is my last decision. 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 another championship. 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,” James wrote.

How they’ll manage James and Embiid throughout the regular season will be interesting to follow. With the presence of Maxey and Edgecombe, along with the headlining addition of Brown, games both former MVPs miss should be winnable.

The Summer of Mike Gansey continues. The Sixers’ new front-office boss has objectively had one hell of an offseason. Signing one of, if not the greatest player of all time is quite the cherry on top.

This is a developing story …

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LeBron James chooses 76ers over Cavs in free agency

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 5: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers plays defense during the game against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers on February 5, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

LeBron James has opted out of the storybook ending many in Northeast Ohio were hoping for. Instead of a retirement tour with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James has decided to head one state over and chase a championship with a new-look Philadelphia 76ers team. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, he’s signing a two-year, $8 million deal.

The Sixers have been the undisputed winners of the offseason. Swapping out an aging Paul George for Jaylen Brown is widely regarded as the best trade this offseason. That move alone would’ve vaulted them into contention in a competitive Eastern Conference. Now, they may be the favorites to win it.

This is a tough blow for the Cavs.

Not only would this have been an ideal ending for James’s career from the Cavs’ perspective, but he also would’ve filled a gaping hole on Cleveland’s roster. The Cavs need a wing (or preferably two) that can shift between playing the three and four with the loss of Dean Wade in free agency. James could’ve filled that role nicely. Now, the Cavs will have to shift their attention elsewhere to fill that need.

More than that, this move cemented the Sixers as a team ahead of the Cavs in the Eastern Conference hierarchy. Cleveland’s path through the conference is expected to be much tougher this season than it was at any point in the core four era.

This upcoming season will be James’s 24th year in the league. The Sixers will be the fourth separate franchise he’s suited up for. Last season, James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games with the Los Angeles Lakers.