This first part is where I tell you that, now that LeBron James made his decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s time for him to deliver.

This second bit is where I acknowledge that we hold him to an unreasonable standard.

Cruising social media in the moments after James surprised the NBA world Friday, July 24 and announced he would be joining his fourth different team, the prevailing sentiment was that a failure to deliver a championship in Philadelphia would derail James’ legacy. And while James’ addition does indeed make the Sixers a superteam, some pragmatism is in order.

This is not a player in his prime; this is one who will turn 42 years old seven weeks into the regular season. This is not a max player, but one who will sign a two-year, $8 million deal on the veteran minimum exception. This is not the 45-point Bron who silenced the TD Garden in Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals as his team was facing elimination. This is a veteran who, in defiance of his age, remains relevant and productive.

Our expectations of what he can be in his early 40s should reflect all that in kind because LeBron James, at this point in his career, is not a No. 1 or No. 2 option. He’s a complementary player. He’s someone who does many things well, most of all on-ball creation and ball distribution.

So if the 76ers fail to win an NBA championship during James’ tenure there, it should not be weighed as some sprawling indictment on James as a player.

“I thought I was done when the season ended,” James wrote Friday. “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.”

More: 7 biggest winners and losers from LeBron James joining the 76ers

Paired alongside Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid, James will need to carve out his role and will likely have to defer. To make it work, he’ll have to sacrifice his usage rate. This will be new for him.

But what bears repeating is that James is single-handedly rewriting the standard of production for someone his age.

Let’s take a look, for a moment, at the time another goated icon, Michael Jordan, signed with a new team in the twilight of his career.

After three seasons away from the NBA — his second of three career retirements — Jordan signed with the Washington Wizards in 2001 and played two seasons there. Washington posted a pair of 37-45 seasons with Jordan, who was 38 when he made his Wizards debut, nearly four years younger than James will be when he launches his Sixers tenure.

Jordan did earn a pair of All-Stars in Washington, and he did elevate a team that had won just 19 games the season prior to his arrival.

Yet, the Wizards couldn’t even crack the postseason with Jordan. Granted, those Washington teams were nowhere near as talented as James’ Philadelphia outfit will be, but Jordan’s lack of postseason success in Washington did nothing to mar his legacy.

For whatever reason, James tends to be judged more harshly. Much of this is due to the impossible constraints we place on him and others when debating legacy. We tend to prefer tidy, conventional narratives: players who remain with one team their entire career, players who fit easily-defined roles, players who take pay cuts for the good of the team.

James could become the first player in NBA history to win championships with four different franchises. It would be yet another clear marker of his longevity, excellence and adaptability.

James sacrificed the neater legacy fits (the Cavaliers and Heat) and is taking on a larger risk by joining a new team. Ultimately, these are the very traits — sacrifice, hard work and the pursuit of greatness — that we love to celebrate in sport. Why should James chasing it, at 41 years old, be any different?

“This is my last decision,” he said. “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.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Did LeBron James make right decision? Why signing with 76ers should be celebrated | Opinion

LeBron James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency as he looks to chase another NBA title before calling it a career. The 22-time All-Star took a significant pay cut to do so.

After making nearly $53 million with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, James accepted a two-year contract worth the veteran minimum. The decision allowed Philadelphia – which already has two of the NBA's eight highest-paid players for 2026-27 in Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown – to be able to afford the 41-year-old superstar.

James' new deal with the 76ers will be worth just under $8 million over two years. He is set to make just under $3.9 million in the first year of his contract, which will mark the least he has earned during a single NBA season, coming in just short of the $4.02 million he made during his rookie season in 2003-04.

Just how cheap is James' deal for his first season in Philadelphia? A total of 292 NBA players will be making more than him during the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season, making James one of the best values league-wide.

Here's what to know about James' contract and where it ranks league-wide:

Full list of players making more than LeBron James for 2026-27 season

Below is a full look at the list of players who will make more than LeBron James during the 2026-27 NBA season, according to data from Basketball Reference.

1. Stephen Curry, Warriors: $62,587,158
2. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets: $59,033,114
3. Anthony Davis, Wizards: $58,456,566
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Heat: $58,456,566
5. Jayson Tatum, Celtics: $58,456,566
6. Joel Embiid, 76ers: $58,100,000
7. Devin Booker, Suns: $57,078,728
8. Jaylen Brown, 76ers: $57,078,728
9. Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks: $57,078,728
10. Jimmy Butler, Warriors: $56,832,773
11. Paul George, Celtics: $54,126,380
12. Kawhi Leonard, Clippers: $50,300,000
13. Cade Cunningham, Pistons: $50,105,628
14. Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers: $50,105,628
15. Evan Mobley, Cavaliers: $50,105,628
16. Jamal Murray, Nuggets: $50,105,628
17. Bam Adebayo, Heat: $49,800,000
18. De'Aaron Fox, Spurs: $49,800,000
19. Luka Doncic, Lakers: $49,800,000
20. Trae Young, Wizards: $49,488,300
21. Jaren Jackson Jr., Jazz: $49,000,000
22. Zach LaVine, Kings: $48,967,380
23. Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves: $48,924,624
24. Pascal Siakam, Pacers: $48,924,624
25. Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers: $48,924,624
26. Lauri Markkanen, Jazz: $46,113,154
27. Domantas Sabonis, Kings: $45,472,000
28. Kevin Durant, Rockets: $43,902,439
29. OG Anunoby, Knicks: $42,500,000
30. James Harden, Cavaliers: $42,317,307
31. Darius Garland, Clippers: $42,166,510
32. Ja Morant, Trail Blazers: $42,166,510
33. Zion Williamson, Pelicans: $42,166,510
34. Franz Wagner, Magic: $41,754,690
35. Scottie Barnes, Raptors: $41,754,690
36. Chet Holmgren, Thunder: $41,500,000
37. Jalen Williams, Thunder: $41,500,000
38. Paolo Banchero, Magic: $41,500,000
39. Austin Reaves, Lakers: $41,240,250
40. Michael Porter Jr., Nets: $40,806,150
41. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder: $40,806,150
42. LaMelo Ball, Timberwolves: $40,770,520
43. Tyrese Maxey, 76ers: $40,770,520
44. Brandon Ingram, Raptors: $40,000,000
45. Kyrie Irving, Mavericks: $39,491,282
46. Desmond Bane, Magic: $39,446,090
47. Jalen Brunson, Knicks: $37,739,521
48. Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves: $36,500,000
49. Jalen Green, Suns: $36,251,166
50. Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers: $35,915,403
51. Alperen Sengun, Rockets: $35,642,202
52. Jrue Holiday, Trail Blazers: $34,800,000
53. Jerami Grant, Grizzlies: $34,206,898
54. Jordan Poole, Pelicans: $34,044,642
55. Aaron Gordon, Nuggets: $33,658,037
56. Mikal Bridges, Knicks: $33,482,145
57. Julius Randle, Nets: $33,333,334
58. Tyler Herro, Bucks: $33,000,000
59. Dejounte Murray, Pelicans: $32,785,071
60. Immanuel Quickley, Raptors: $32,500,000
61. Jalen Suggs, Magic: $32,400,000
62. Derrick White, Celtics: $30,348,000
63. Walker Kessler, Lakers: $30,232,558
64. Andrew Wiggins, Heat: $30,169,644
65. Jalen Johnson, Hawks: $30,000,000
66. RJ Barrett, Raptors: $29,616,071
67. Jarrett Allen, Cavaliers: $28,000,000
68. Draymond Green, Warriors: $27,678,571
69. Devin Vassell, Spurs: $27,000,000
70. Trey Murphy III, Pelicans: $27,000,000
71. Myles Turner, Bucks: $26,584,164
72. Jaden McDaniels, Timberwolves: $26,200,001
73. Dyson Daniels, Hawks: $25,000,000
74. Fred VanVleet, Rockets: $25,000,000
75. Josh Giddey, Bulls: $25,000,000
76. De'Andre Hunter, Kings: $24,910,714
77. Jonathan Kuminga, Hawks: $24,300,000
78. Keegan Murray, Kings: $24,137,936
79. Jabari Smith Jr., Rockets: $23,643,411
80. Naz Reid, Hornets: $23,275,862
81. Isaiah Hartenstein, Thunder: $23,148,148
82. Nic Claxton, Bulls: $23,147,727
83. Cameron Johnson, Nuggets: $23,062,500
84. Coby White, Hornets: $22,839,506
85. Miles Bridges, Suns: $22,826,087
86. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Grizzlies: $21,621,500
87. Christian Braun, Nuggets: $21,551,726
88. Norman Powell, Bulls: $21,500,000
89. CJ McCollum, Hawks: $21,000,000
90. Josh Hart, Knicks: $20,923,760
91. Kyle Kuzma, Bucks: $20,345,152
92. Ivica Zubac, Pacers: $20,342,140
93. Malik Monk, Kings: $20,190,035
94. Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers: $20,089,287
95. Dillon Brooks, Suns: $19,992,727
96. P.J. Washington, Mavericks: $19,813,044
97. Alex Caruso, Thunder: $19,550,160
98. Andrew Nembhard, Pacers: $19,550,160
99. Kristaps Porzingis, Warriors: $19,512,195
100. Jakob Poeltl, Raptors: $19,500,000
101. Ayo Dosunmu, Timberwolves: $19,310,345
102. Luguentz Dort, Hawks: $18,222,222
103. Grayson Allen, Hornets: $18,125,000
104. Wendell Carter Jr., Magic: $18,102,000
105. Toumani Camara, Trail Blazers: $18,080,358
106. Patrick Williams, Bulls: $18,000,000
107. Keldon Johnson, Spurs: $17,500,000
108. Klay Thompson, Mavericks: $17,460,317
109. Daniel Gafford, Mavericks: $17,263,584
110. Santi Aldama, Mavericks: $17,007,043
111. John Collins, Pistons: $17,000,000
112. Victor Wembanyama, Spurs: $16,868,246
113. Max Strus, Cavaliers: $16,660,836
114. Nikola Jovic, Heat: $16,200,000
115. Onyeka Okongwu, Hawks: $16,120,000
116. Duncan Robinson, Pistons: $15,992,957
117. Terance Mann, Nets: $15,500,000
118. Gary Trent Jr., Bucks: $15,200,000
119. Brandon Miller, Hornets: $15,104,626
120. Mitchell Robinson, Celtics: $15,044,000
121. Tobias Harris, Spurs: $15,044,000
122. Isaiah Stewart, Grizzlies: $15,000,000
123. Obi Toppin, Pacers: $15,000,000
124. Herbert Jones, Pelicans: $14,898,786
125. Caris LeVert, Bucks: $14,809,200
126. Dennis Schroeder, Cavaliers: $14,809,200
127. AJ Dybantsa, Wizards: $14,748,000
128. Josh Green, Timberwolves: $14,679,012
129. Bobby Portis, Heat: $14,521,414
130. Cooper Flagg, Mavericks: $14,517,480
131. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Hawks: $14,403,710
132. Grant Williams, Hornets: $14,265,750
133. Jock Landale, Hawks: $14,100,000
134. Tari Eason, Rockets: $14,051,724
135. Rui Hachimura, Clippers: $14,000,000
136. Corey Kispert, Hawks: $13,975,000
137. Robert Williams, Trail Blazers: $13,968,254
138. Quentin Grimes, Lakers: $13,953,489
139. Julian Champagnie, Spurs: $13,888,889
140. Zaccharie Risacher, Mavericks: $13,826,040
141. Scoot Henderson, Trail Blazers: $13,585,523
142. Dorian Finney-Smith, Hornets: $13,335,000
143. Darryn Peterson, Jazz: $13,195,320
144. Deni Avdija, Trail Blazers: $13,125,000
145. Sandro Mamukelashvili, Lakers: $13,000,000
146. Steven Adams, Rockets: $13,000,000
147. Dylan Harper, Spurs: $12,989,040
148. Donte DiVincenzo, Timberwolves: $12,535,000
149. Moses Moody, Warriors: $12,500,000
150. Jarred Vanderbilt, Lakers: $12,428,571
151. Davion Mitchell, Heat: $12,400,000
152. Alex Sarr, Wizards: $12,370,680
153. Amen Thompson, Rockets: $12,258,609
154. Cameron Boozer, Grizzlies: $11,849,760
155. Isaac Okoro, Bulls: $11,814,814
156. Mark Williams, Suns: $11,728,395
157. VJ Edgecombe, 76ers: $11,663,880
158. Isaiah Joe, Pistons: $11,323,006
159. Ausar Thompson, Pistons: $11,117,925
160. Reed Sheppard, Rockets: $11,108,880
161. Aaron Nesmith, Pacers: $11,000,000
162. T.J. McConnell, Pacers: $11,000,000
163. Royce O'Neale, Hornets: $10,875,000
164. Sam Hauser, Celtics: $10,848,215
165. Collin Gillespie, Suns: $10,714,286
166. Caleb Wilson, Bulls: $10,683,720
167. Jusuf Nurkic, Jazz: $10,576,923
168. Kon Knueppel, Hornets: $10,516,560
169. Derrick Jones Jr., Clippers: $10,476,190
170. Luke Kornet, Spurs: $10,450,000
171. Anthony Black, Magic: $10,106,316
172. A.J. Green, Bucks: $10,044,644
173. Stephon Castle, Spurs: $10,015,920
174. Caleb Martin, Mavericks: $10,001,493
175. Day'Ron Sharpe, Nets: $10,000,000
176. Keaton Wagler, Clippers: $9,674,760
177. Buddy Hield, Hawks: $9,658,536
178. Ace Bailey, Jazz: $9,523,080
179. Jalen Smith, Bulls: $9,428,571
180. Naji Marshall, Mavericks: $9,428,571
181. Collin Sexton, Lakers: $9,366,000
182. Bilal Coulibaly, Wizards: $9,240,012
183. Aaron Wiggins, Hawks: $9,224,300
184. Ty Jerome, Grizzlies: $9,220,050
185. Brook Lopez, Clippers: $9,187,500
186. Sam Merrill, Cavaliers: $9,160,715
187. Ron Holland, Pistons: $9,069,600
188. Dean Wade, 76ers: $9,000,000
189. Mikel Brown Jr., Nets: $8,787,000
190. Keon Ellis, Nets: $8,780,488
191. Tre Johnson, Wizards: $8,649,600
192. Jarace Walker, Pacers: $8,478,542
193. Kevin Huerter, Pistons: $8,333,333
194. Zach Collins, Bulls: $8,292,683
195. Max Christie, Mavericks: $8,285,714
196. Quinten Post, Grizzlies: $8,285,714
197. Tidjane Salaun, Hornets: $8,237,880
198. Deandre Ayton, Wizards: $8,104,000
199. Kelly Oubre Jr., Pacers: $8,050,000
200. Darius Acuff Jr., Kings: $8,021,640
201. Harrison Barnes, Spurs: $8,000,000
202. Tre Jones, Bulls: $8,000,000
203. Tre Mann, Hornets: $8,000,000
204. Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans: $7,896,240
205. Taylor Hendricks, Grizzlies: $7,805,900
206. Jaylin Williams, Thunder: $7,774,648
207. Payton Pritchard, Celtics: $7,767,857
208. Goga Bitadze, Magic: $7,608,696
209. Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers: $7,519,920
210. Zeke Nnaji, Nuggets: $7,466,667
211. Cason Wallace, Thunder: $7,420,806
212. Kingston Flemings, Hawks: $7,348,680
213. Dereck Lively II, Mavericks: $7,239,131
214. Egor Demin, Nets: $7,233,720
215. Gradey Dick, Raptors: $7,131,511
216. Clint Capela, Rockets: $7,035,000
217. Jordan Hawkins, Pelicans: $7,021,895
218. Isaiah Jackson, Clippers: $7,000,000
219. Rob Dillingham, Bulls: $6,889,320
220. Al Horford, Warriors: $6,822,000
221. Morez Johnson Jr., Mavericks: $6,754,800
222. Collin Murray-Boyles, Raptors: $6,649,560
223. Keyonte George, Jazz: $6,563,925
224. Tim Hardaway Jr., Heat: $6,500,000
225. Saddiq Bey, Pelicans: $6,440,678
226. Brayden Burries, Bucks: $6,417,360
227. Zach Edey, Grizzlies: $6,332,760
228. Khaman Maluach, Suns: $6,316,680
229. John Konchar, Jazz: $6,165,000
230. Yaxel Lendeborg, Warriors: $6,096,240
231. Luke Kennard, Suns: $6,064,000
232. Marcus Smart, Rockets: $6,064,000
233. Cody Williams, Jazz: $6,015,600
234. Cedric Coward, Grizzlies: $6,001,080
235. Anfernee Simons, 76ers: $6,000,000
236. Jaden Hardy, Lakers: $6,000,000
237. Jake LaRavia, Lakers: $6,000,000
238. Jaxson Hayes, Jazz: $6,000,000
239. Josh Okogie, Jazz: $6,000,000
240. D'Angelo Russell, Grizzlies: $5,969,250
241. Jaime Jaquez Jr., Bucks: $5,939,141
242. Nicolas Batum, Clippers: $5,881,680
243. Jordan Goodwin, Suns: $5,864,198
244. Aday Mara, Thunder: $5,791,680
245. Ousmane Dieng, Bucks: $5,750,000
246. Matas Buzelis, Bulls: $5,715,360
247. Noa Essengue, Bulls: $5,701,200
248. Kris Dunn, Clippers: $5,684,800
249. Brandin Podziemski, Warriors: $5,679,459
250. Paul Reed, Pistons: $5,602,689
251. Khris Middleton, Wizards: $5,591,122
252. Nate Ament, Bucks: $5,502,000
253. Precious Achiuwa, Kings: $5,477,000
254. Cam Whitmore, Wizards: $5,458,310
255. Nikola Topic, Thunder: $5,429,760
256. Derik Queen, Pelicans: $5,416,080
257. Noah Clowney, Nets: $5,414,034
258. Kevin Porter Jr., Bucks: $5,390,700
259. Landry Shamet, Knicks: $5,357,143
260. Kris Murray, Grizzlies: $5,315,004
261. Jordan Miller, Clippers: $5,300,000
262. Hannes Steinbach, Hornets: $5,227,200
263. Marcus Sasser, Mavericks: $5,198,983
264. Devin Carter, Hawks: $5,158,080
265. Carter Bryant, Spurs: $5,145,360
266. Ben Sheppard, Pacers: $5,031,669
267. Kenrich Williams, Thunder: $5,000,000
268. Dailyn Swain, Bulls: $4,965,480
269. Bub Carrington, Wizards: $4,900,560
270. Thomas Sorber, Thunder: $4,887,720
271. Brice Sensabaugh, Jazz: $4,862,237
272. Julian Strawther, Nuggets: $4,826,931
273. Bennett Stirtz, Thunder: $4,717,320
274. Kel'el Ware, Bucks: $4,654,920
275. Yang Hansen, Trail Blazers: $4,643,520
276. Gui Santos, Warriors: $4,629,630
277. Jose Alvarado, Knicks: $4,500,000
278. Josh Minott, Nets: $4,500,000
279. Ebuka Okorie, Pistons: $4,481,280
280. Jared McCain, Thunder: $4,422,600
281. Joan Beringer, Timberwolves: $4,411,200
282. Christian Anderson Jr., Hornets: $4,257,480
283. Dalton Knecht, Lakers: $4,201,080
284. Walter Clayton, Grizzlies: $4,190,520
285. Allen Graves, Raptors: $4,065,720
286. Nolan Traore, Nets: $4,002,000
287. Daniss Jenkins, Pistons: $4,000,000
288. Ryan Rollins, Bucks: $4,000,000
289. Tristan Da Silva, Magic: $3,991,200
290. Miles McBride, Knicks: $3,956,523
291. Javonte Green, Pistons: $3,943,679
292. Jayden Quaintance, Spurs: $3,902,760

LeBron James' career earnings

Of course, one of the reasons James was able to take such a massive pay cut is because he has already made a boatload of money during his career.

Across his first 23 NBA seasons, James has made nearly $581.4 million in on-court earnings, per Spotrac.com. A majority of those earnings came across his eight years with the Lakers, during which he made $347.5 million.

James also has numerous lucrative endorsement deals off the court, including with Nike and AT&T, among others.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 292 players will make more than LeBron James this NBA season. Here's the full list

Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to the weekend.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread

The Cleveland Cavaliers are bumping into the harsh realities that come with recently being above the second apron. Their main goal this offseason was to add a 41-year-old LeBron James to a contract that is far below market value. With the opportunity of doing so out the window, they’re now left to pivot to imperfect options to fill out the rotation.

If the Cavs want to advance to the conference finals or further next season, they will need some of their young players on cost-controlled contracts to provide meaningful minutes. As of now, Jaylon Tyson is the most likely candidate to do so.

Tyson took a meaningful step forward last year in his second season. He showed that he could be a knock-down three-point shooter who provides great energy on both ends of the court. That was much needed for a team that was often stuck in neutral for the first half of the season due to their wide array of injuries.

The improvement he showed last season has Cavs fans optimistic he can take another step forward. Sixty-two percent of fans surveyed earlier this week believe that he has the brightest future among recent draft picks.

While Tyson was the guy fans think has the brightest future, there were plenty out there that believe in Meleek Thomas.

Thomas was impressive this past month in Las Vegas. He led Summer League in scoring, while earning himself a spot on the All Summer League First Team. Summer League success doesn’t always translate to the NBA, but there’s plenty of reasons to be excited about the incredible scoring display Thomas displayed in Vegas.

We’ll see what kind of impact both can make on the Cavs this upcoming season.

The Eastern Conference is shaping up to be much more formidable this season. According to FanDuel, the Cavs have the sixth-best odds to win the conference at +1200. They trail the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, and Detroit Pistons.

The long-awaited decision of LeBron James has now been made, and he is headed to the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year deal with the franchise. With that move, he will now share the court with one of Big Blue Nation’s favorites, Tyrese Maxey.

Also with the organization is Justin Edwards, who is still trying to get his feet wet in the NBA heading into year three. 

Maxey went to Instagram to share his reaction when the news broke Friday morning, and said he is “like Coach Cal” after landing his own prized recruit in LeBron James.

“I’m like coach cal” is such a funny statement by Tyrese Maxey 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/iY31zGWwYz

— Cameron Waddle (@CameronWaddle) July 24, 2026

In all seriousness, what a shocking move! LeBron James will be joining a team that was already viewed as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference, and now bumps those odds up even more. A team with Maxey and James on it, with Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe and many other talented pieces, is crazy.

LeBron said in his statement today that he “still wants to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.” Well, not many other teams he could’ve joined give him as good a chance as the 76ers do at this point in the offseason. James has decided not to end his career back in Northeast Ohio with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where it all started, but is headed to Philadelphia to end his Hall of Fame career.

This could mean that the streak of Kentucky players winning an NBA championship may continue with a new team and a new face winning it all. In three of the last four years, we have seen a former Kentucky Wildcat win the Larry O’Brien trophy.

The Knicks winning this last one gave Karl-Anthony Towns a ring; the year before, it gave Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a ring and his teammate Cason Wallace with the Oklahoma City Thunder; then, in 2023, Jamal Murray won one with the Denver Nuggets.

Will we be able to add Tyrese Maxey and Justin Edwards to that list soon?

Editor's note: Get live updates on LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers here.

Having LeBron James as a teammate must feel like winning the lottery.

Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe seemed pretty stoked after the NBA's all-time scorer announced he was joining the team with a two-year, $8 million contract on Friday, July 24.

Edgecombe, who won the Rising Stars Challenge MVP award at this year's NBA All-Star festivities, posted the celebration to his Instagram stories shortly after the news broke. He shared a photo of himself holding his hand to his head looking up at the camera smiling in the same way as James' famous "Smiling through it all! Can't believe this my life" Instagram story.

After James made the original post in 2018, the pool photo and caption instantly became a meme. His son Bryce also posted a version of the photo in 2024.

VJ Edgecombe recreated LeBron’s “Can’t believe this my life” meme on his IG stories upon hearing the news that the King was going to be his 76ers teammate 😂🏆 pic.twitter.com/KFoLhNYUWK

— Victoria Hernandez (@LadyViii) July 24, 2026

The four-time NBA champion was reportedly deciding between Philadelphia or a return to the Miami Heat or his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.

James will join 2022-2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid and 2024 NBA Finals champion Jaylen Brown, who was shockingly traded from the Boston Celtics earlier in the month for Paul George and four draft picks.

Edgecombe is among several other notable figures who reacted to James' decision. Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro declared the day LeBron James Day, Philadelphia native and basketball icon Dawn Staley was thrilled, and Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley offered a warm welcome.

The 2026-2027 NBA schedule has not been released yet, but the 76ers open preseason with a game against the Celtics on Saturday, October 10. This past season, Philadelphia made it to the conference semifinals where they were swept by the eventual champion New York Knicks.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: VJ Edgecombe celebrates LeBron James joining 76ers with 'Can't believe this my life' meme

The Brooklyn Nets acquired three-time All-Star Julius Randle and the No. 28 overall pick (Joshua Jefferson) from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a multi-team deal for Nic Claxton and the No. 33 pick.

Nic Claxton is officially on his way out after holding the reins as the longest-tenured Brooklyn Net. The big man recently released a message thanking the fans and the organization for his seven seasons in New York. With his departure set, the focus shifts to the future — and what rookies Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr. will be working with on the floor.

Enter three-time All-Star and veteran leader Julius Randle. General Manager Sean Marks executed the deal to retool the frontcourt, bringing in Randle’s scoring and physical presence while converting the No. 28 pick into forward Joshua Jefferson, who the Nets are very high on.

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How do Brooklyn Nets fans grade the trade for Julius Randle?

The grade ‘B’ takes a slight edge!

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Fans Deadlocked Over Julius Randle-Nic Claxton Trade

The community sentiment ended in a near-exact 50/50 deadlock between ‘A’ and ‘B’ grades, reflecting a split between those eager for Randle’s veteran stardom and those weighing Claxton’s departure against missed draft opportunities.

Development or Stagnation?

• Comment: “We liked Claxton but never Loved him. Let’s be honest. He never developed; he never matured. He may have some of the most unwarranted and bizarre Technicals I have ever seen. Julius Randle is a flat-out Star and someone that’s going to play hard on both ends. I grew tired of never seeing 20 and 10 games from him. Claxton seemed to check out and give up on us. It won’t be easier in Chicago. PEACE!!!”
  • Reply: “From year one I was saying, he’s going to be a beast when he adds 20lbs of muscle. Kept saying that every year. Never happened.”
    
• Comment: “I give this trade an A for three reasons: 1. We got the best player in the deal 2. We give Sharpe a real shot at being the starter. 3. Randell is a better role model then Claxton. Claxton’s antics and quality of play last season were not a good showing for the team as young as the nets.”

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Draft Assets and Trade Value

• Comment: “More low ambition nibbling around the edges from the Marks-Tsai clown show.”
  • Reply: “What would you like to have done instead? Nets got an all star caliber player for a guy that’s probably not a starter on a good team and a better pick. I guess Minny could’ve thrown in Ant”
    
• Comment“I woulda kept the 33rd pick, was still some good players on the board there like Meleek Thomas and Isiah Evans…”
  
• Comment: “B+, would’ve been A++ for a move up to snag Cenac or take Peat.”

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Thanks to everybody who voted and/or participated.

This is a sponsored post. Check out the latest lines, futures, and player props by visiting FanDuel.

When Daryl Morey was fired by the Philadelphia 76ers back in May, fans weren’t quite sure what to expect in the organization’s search for its next top executive. When the Sixers hired Mike Gansey out of Cleveland a few weeks later, fans’ reaction was largely a half-nod, half-head tilt and an “OK, let’s see how this goes.”

The Cavaliers had made some decent draft picks and moves during Gansey’s tenure, but not a ton of home runs, and who knows what to attribute to somebody who isn’t at the top of the org chart. As a former D-1 player, he was undoubtedly a “basketball guy,” a dramatic swing from Daryl “Dork Elvis” Morey, like when a baseball team hires a player’s manager right after having a hard-nosed disciplinarian. It all seemed fine, but Gansey was largely a black box and no one really knew what to expect.

Well, we are less than two months into Gansey’s tenure, and the man has already orchestrated the greatest offseason in Philadelphia 76ers history. You never know with late-first-round rookies, obviously, but nabbing Labaron Philon with the 22nd overall pick looks like a good move so far. Then, Gansey nailed the smaller moves in free agency. Getting versatile forward Dean Wade on a four-year, $39 million deal looks tremendous compared to some of the other contracts being thrown around this summer. Likewise, signing Anfernee Simons for two years, $12.3 million is a steal on the margins.

Of course, alongside the singles and doubles, Gansey wasn’t afraid to swing for the fences and hit a home run. He turned Paul George, who at this time last year was considered one of the worst contracts in the league, into Jaylen Brown, without giving up the full war chest of draft capital. Brown certainly has some holes in his game, but he’s a player who won Finals MVP just two years ago, is still in his prime, and can soak up a ton of usage to alleviate the minutes and ball handling burden on the Sixers’ backcourt. His arrival immediately transformed the franchise from “at least they have a fun backcourt” to “we need to include the Sixers on the short list of contenders.”

That transformation set the stage for the final stroke in Mike Gansey’s offseason masterpiece: the signing of LeBron James. The greatest NBA player of his generation is going to suit up for the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, I’m not going to suggest Gansey is personally responsible for James coming. More than anyone else in the league, LeBron has his own personal agency over how things will unfold in his career. The Klutch connection with Tyrese Maxey played a large part, I’m sure. But you can’t deny Gansey and LeBron being friendly from their Mr. Ohio Basketball days playing some sort of role. And everything else Gansey did with this roster allowed LeBron to view himself as a final missing piece in potentially bringing a championship to Philadelphia. If he was going to set aside personal history with his childhood home in Cleveland or somewhere where he spent a lot of years in Miami, it had to be for basketball reasons. This roster allowed Gansey and Bob Myers and whoever else to make the “basketball reasons” case to LeBron. The Sixers team that get swept by the Knicks in May isn’t snagging King James.

Now, things might not go as well as we might hope. Joel Embiid is still a huge injury risk. LeBron will turn 42 years old in December. Jaylen Brown’s game might not mesh perfectly with Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

But think about where we were a year ago, with the Sixers coming off a 24-58 season. Even two months ago, the Knicks series loss was very dispiriting, and we were having the whole “two timelines” debate. All that has ended. Jaylen Brown is a Sixer. LeBron James is a Sixer!!! In under two months, Mike Gansey has done a 180-degree vibes flip on this franchise. We are about to enter the most highly anticipated Sixers season of at least my lifetime and he is the man to thank.

The biggest question left in NBA free agency was answered on Friday with LeBron James joining the Sixers.

LeBron’s departure from LA was already known, but what does that mean for his son, current Lakers player Bronny James?

Throughout Bronny’s career, he has been linked to his Dad for every grand moment. Will the next move the Sixers make be a trade with the Lakers so the father-son duo can reunite?

Don’t count on it.

NBA insider Ramona Shelburne reports that Rich Paul, the agent for both Bronny and LeBron, says they are not a packaged deal. Currently, there are no plans for a reunion in Philly.

As for the impact of LeBron James’ decision on his son Bronny James, Rich Paul, the agent for both tells ESPN that "they are not a package deal" and there's no current plan or request for Bronny Janes to join his father in Philly. 

Bronny James recently had his contract…

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 24, 2026

Paul saying this so bluntly is certainly interesting. If things were leaning towards Bronny heading to the Sixers, he could have either said so or kept his thoughts to himself.

By Paul stating there is no current plan for a move and considering how late into free agency we are, it seems the most likely possibility then is Bronny remaining a Laker.

For those who have paid attention to Bronny’s career and not focused on narratives, this comes as no surprise.

The Lakers drafted Bronny and he’s gotten better over the last two seasons. A young talent like that doesn’t get moved unless there is a great deal in place.

Bronny has been one of the recent LA draft success stories, and considering they are pivoting towards youth and athleticism, he could be a valuable piece for the franchise moving forward. The Lakers seem to like the idea of keeping Bronny and, considering that his contract for this season is already guaranteed, that’s what’s going to happen unless a trade is executed.

Even after LeBron announced he was leaving LA, Bronny has remained engaged as a Laker. He was at the Las Vegas Summer League watching the Lakers play and participated in a veteran mini-camp.

While speaking at CNBC and Boardroom’s Game Plan Summit at Fanatics Fest, LeBron even referred to Bronny as his former teammate.

LeBron James discusses the family aspect of his decision with Rich Kleiman:

“I have a 22-year-old son who is now a former teammate of mine … which is hilarious” pic.twitter.com/l4X6DRRteN

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 16, 2026

Plenty can still change between now and the start of the season, but so far all indications are that Bronny will be suiting up with the Lakers for his third season and LeBron will be starting Year No. 24 with the Sixers.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

He is quietly becoming the face of the franchise if you measure Brooklyn Nets social media … and some of his own. Twenty-year-old Egor Demin didn’t just show his skills in Sacramento and Las Vegas. The Moscow native who played in Madrid and Provo, Utah before joining the Nets is proving to be a very likeable personality for the franchise to market. A bit charismatic too.

Other stars may come along and outshine him but at the moment, it’s him and fellow 20-year-old Mikel Brown Jr. who are showing up across social media.

Here’s the latest from the Egor Dëmin YouTube page … his review of Las Vegas on and off the court. Oh yeah, one other thing: At this rate, someone needs to ask Egor who advised him to get a low taper fade. His co-star in this video and teammate, Michael Porter Jr., would be our educated guess.

00:00 | Dutch Gaitley: “Egor: eight assists, zero turnovers.”

00:24 | Egor Dëmin: “Hey guys, we are in Vegas. It’s boiling out here. I’m about to get—what is it called, a heat stroke? Is that what it is? But it’s fun! What am I saying?”

00:39| Egor Demin: “I’m going to show you guys what is happening this week. Uh, we played the first game—well, we played two games already. I’m recording a couple of days later, but first game I played, it was amazing. I thought, you know, I was very excited to play again.”

00:54 | Egor Demin: “What was your favorite play? Probably Mikel’s pull-up three.”

01:04 | Egor Demin: “Mike, give me—give me two comments really quick. A comment about—about our first game in Vegas.”

01:08| Michael Porter Jr.: “Oh, my boy Egor was killing! He’s getting to the rack. Like a couple of those—a couple of times it looked like you could have dunked it on them dudes.”

01:15| Egor Demin: “I—I think I could! I had some mercy out there.”

01:18| Michael Porter Jr.: “Yeah, but no, he looks good. He told me a couple weeks ago, he was like, ‘I can’t shoot anymore.’ Well, every time I’ve seen him shoot the last few games, it’s cash, dog. So I’m excited to play with this dude this year. He’s going to—going to help lead us, you know what I’m saying?”

01:32| Egor Demin: “Appreciate it, man! Yeah, appreciate it. Good to see you, brother.”

01:35| Egor Demin: “I did feel like I can’t shoot anymore because I got—I got biceps now. And maybe I even can do this challenge with the egg that we did in the middle of the season with the—with the Nets. You remember right here, the one challenge I’m not going to be able to do, I don’t even have enough biceps…”

00:01:48 – 00:04:15 is a montage.

04:16| Egor Demin: “Okay, we are here at the studio right now and we about to record an episode for 2K with my guy Michael Porter Jr. It’s going to be fun.”

04:28| Egor Demin & Studio Staff: “Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello!”

04:33| Egor Demin: “I appreciate you guys. Yeah, for sure.”

00:04:35 – 00:05:05 is B-roll of NBA 2K scanning and video shoot with Michael Porter. Jr.

05:06| Egor Demin: “All right, guys. Thank you for watching a new episode. Can’t wait to show you guys my next side quest!”

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The Houston Rockets continue to fill out their roster before the start of the 2026-2027 NBA season, as it was announced today that they have signed free agent forward/center Oscar Tshiebwe.

OFFICIAL: The Rockets today announced they have signed free agent forward/center Oscar Tshiebwe.
 
He spent his rookie season as a two-way player with Indiana in 2023-24 and the past two seasons on a two-way contract with Utah. In 49 career games with seven starts, Tshiebwe has… pic.twitter.com/jz1aHvRQNe

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) July 24, 2026

The 6’8” big man from the Congo went to high school in Pennsylvania and was a four-star recruit heading into college. He played for both West Virginia University and later Kentucky, where he was named the Sporting News National Player of the Year and the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in 2022.

He went undrafted but later signed two-way deals with the Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz. His best season in the NBA came in the 2024-2025 season, when he averaged 7.6 points and 8.7 boards in 18.2 minutes per night for Utah.

He’s also been a monster in the G League, averaging 15.4 points and 17.3 rebounds across 64 G League games. Those are some serious rebounding numbers at that level.

He’s obviously great on the boards, fitting in the Ime Udoka mold, as well as a rugged defender and a strong inside finisher, however, he is more of a traditional big man than a modern one, in that he doesn’t shoot threes and has limited switching ability onto perimeter players.

The terms of Tshiebwe’s contract have not yet been released, but it could be a two-way or exhibit 10, which gives the Rockets the chance to convert his contract to a standard one.

And it seems that he could be on board as Steven Adams insurance. Adams was Houston’s best rebounder last season and one of the keys to their second-chance offensive philosophy (if you can call it that), and when he went down, the team suffered in multiple ways. And then it appeared that Clint Capela was no longer able to fill that role for an extended period. Tshiebwe could also be a replacement for Clint Capela. Now Capela signed a three-year, fully-guaranteed deal before last season, but the team could include him in trade talks if they are looking to move on from Capela.

Either way, this player is an Ime guy through and through, and I’ll let you all decided if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Welcome aboard.

This is going to take some getting used to. Typing out that headline, it still didn’t feel real. LeBron James is a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. It goes without saying that the entire Philadelphia region has been in a state of celebration since the news broke. Here are some of the best reactions to the Sixers signing one of the best players of all time.

Tyrese Maxey, also a Rich Paul client, could barely contain himself on his Instagram story. He captioned the video of his celebration, “I feel like Coach Cal,” in reference to his college coach John Calipari. It’s an appropriate feeling for Maxey, who was very involved in the recruiting process, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Safe to say Tyrese Maxey is hype to be playing with Bron 😂

(via @TyreseMaxey) pic.twitter.com/SGfIYbU4xc

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 24, 2026

VJ Edgecombe celebrated by recreating a famous LeBron meme. Like so many Sixers fans, he is smiling through it all and can’t believe this is his life. Jabari Walker didn’t exactly recreate it, but he had a similar reaction. Jaylen Brown once again tweeted #ThrowTheBallUp, which will surely be printed on a gazillion T-Shirts between now and the start of the season.

VJ Edgecombe, after growing up watching LeBron James and the Miami Heat — on TV more than any other team in The Bahamas — with a hell of an Instagram story: pic.twitter.com/E70Kt6pVal

— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) July 24, 2026

Jabari Walker now on IG #Sixerspic.twitter.com/KkLDQieVA9

— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) July 24, 2026

#throwtheballup

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 24, 2026

Dominick Barlow was out golfing when he heard the news of James’ decision, which is fitting since how good the golf scene was in each city did reportedly play a factor in where LeBron would go. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has already invited LeBron out for a round.

Dominick Barlow was golfing when the news broke #Sixerspic.twitter.com/Z2ExGo35Cy

— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) July 24, 2026

Welcome to the city! Let me know when you tryna tee it up 🏌🏽⛳️ @KingJames

— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) July 24, 2026

July 24 has already been declared LeBron James Day in the state of Pennsylvania according to governor Josh Shapiro. He had a certificate and everything ready to be posted within minutes of James’ signing being reported. Septa also tweeted that “B is for Bron,” so we’ll have to see if the Broad Street Line officially gets renamed.

LEBRON IS COMING TO PHILLY.

By the power vested in me as the Governor of the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a die-hard Sixers fan… I hereby proclaim today to be LEBRON JAMES DAY.

Welcome to the City of Brotherly Love, @KingJames. pic.twitter.com/JHsNkCFyyN

— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) July 24, 2026

pic.twitter.com/umcbEnt8Mw

— ISEPTAPHILLY (@SEPTAPHILLY) July 24, 2026

Meanwhile, the Queen of Philadelphia, South Carolina Women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley tweeted out a video in celebration. The fact that she could rock a black LeBron James jersey on the sideline is a real possibility now. What a world.

YOOOOO PHILLY STAND ALL THE WAY UP!! @ sixers @KingJames let’s gooooooo!!!! pic.twitter.com/I65ZZ1YhgI

— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) July 24, 2026

Plenty of ex-Philly athletes or personalities have chimed in as well, from Torrey Smith to Darius Slay to Andre Drummond. Not only did former commentator Marc Zumoff dust off one of his trademark catchphrases, but the movement to try to bring Matt Cord out of retirement has already started.

Hang on @sixers fans. We are comin’ in for a landing…!

— Marc Zumoff (@marczumoff) July 24, 2026

It would be really cool if this isn’t the only time we hear Cord’s LeBron introduction.

I bet you want to hear Matt Cord Introduce LeBron James…

Well your wish is granted🔥🔥🔥@RayDunne975@Sean_Brace@933WMMR@MattyCordpic.twitter.com/Bi6i4oRALc

— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) July 24, 2026

One of the biggest victory laps for this signing should go to Mike Gansey’s brother, Steve. He had tweeted a picture of Gansey and James together in High School the day the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown, one of the first things to fuel LeBron to Philly rumors this offseason. Even as just the brother of the president of basketball operations, he is already getting offers for free drinks and statues in his replies.

Philly, what’s up?!

— Steven Gansey (@SGAN30) July 24, 2026

As we settle into the post-Summer League world and prepare for the next couple of months, it’s time to fill the hours (and the pixelated pages) with speculation, analysis, over/under win-total discussions, and predictions. The Phoenix Suns, after a year in which they exceeded expectations, have given us plenty to ponder until October. From lineup combinations to developmental opportunities, there is much to hypothesize about.

I thought a good place to start would be extensions. Because that’s a fun topic, right? Future money and how it could affect future decisions. Projected salary caps, what will the luxury tax line be in 2029, and what will Khaman Malauch’s salary be in 2030? Oh my. Fun stuff!

Facetiousness aside, it’s something that I’ve continually found myself exploring, seeing as Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks are extension-eligible this offseason. Understanding the paths forward, given the interesting salary numbers both might incur, provides a clearer picture of the balancing act ahead. So why not build out the possibilities, see how they affect our short- and long-term cap sheet, and explore the decisions that lie ahead for the organization? The thought exercise sparks an interesting conversation relative to what you could do and what you should do.

This was the subject of this week’s Suns Reacts Survey, and the results are in. 40% of the community prefers the team offer an extension only to Dillon Brooks, and 30% believe no extensions should be provided to either Brooks or Bridges.

Now that the graphic has been made, it is time for a deep dive into this subject that deserves exploration.

None of what I am about to explore factors in Jalen Green, who becomes extension-eligible on October 1. That introduces an entirely different set of numbers into the equation, disrupting the ecosystem. We’ll cross that bridge when we get closer to it, hopefully with a better understanding of where the Suns’ long-term cap sheet stands based on whether Bridges or Brooks have received extensions by then.

To understand the full picture, we first need to look at where the Suns are today and project where the salary cap, luxury tax, and apron thresholds could be over the next several seasons.

Let’s start with the now. When you look at Phoenix’s five-year cap sheet, the team currently carries approximately $216.8 million in salary and is hard-capped at the second apron. Simply put, the Suns cannot exceed the $222 million second apron this season. The encouraging part is that the front office has operated astutely enough to preserve some flexibility, leaving roughly $5.2 million of room beneath that threshold if it’s needed during the season.

Now, let’s look to the future. One thing that’s difficult to project is how much the salary cap will increase from year to year. When the NBA’s new television deals entered the picture, the assumption was that the cap would rise at the maximum allowable rate of 10%. It increased only 6.7% from summer 2025 to 2026, rising at a much more conservative pace.

That’s one of the reasons the projected value of Devin Booker’s contract continues to fluctuate. People often say, “He’ll be making $75 million in 2029”, but that’s not how the contract works. He’ll earn 36% of whatever the salary cap is that season. If the $165 million cap established for the summer of 2026 were to compound annually at 6.7%, the cap would reach roughly $200.4 million by the 2029-30 season. That would put Booker’s salary at approximately $72.2 million. So there is no world in which he is making $75 million, and if he does, it means the Suns still have essentially the same wiggle room they have now, as he’s making 35.1% of the cap in 2026-27.

Sorry. Back on track. I had to sidetrack once again to remind people that, while the Booker extension appears massive on the surface, it’s all relative, mannnnnn. Whether the production meets the numbers is a different conversation.

One challenge is projecting these future numbers for this thought exercise, since we’re projecting how extensions will affect future cap sheets and decisions based on those cap sheets. Small changes in the cap have meaningful downstream effects, and those differences matter when you’re trying to forecast future payrolls.

For this exercise, we need to establish a baseline. I’ve opted to split the difference and project annual cap increases of 5%. That would place the salary cap at approximately $191 million in 2029-30, with Booker earning roughly $68.8 million that season. That’s the foundation we’ll use moving forward.

Projecting the first and second aprons from there becomes its own mathematical exercise. Those thresholds are derived from the luxury tax line, and the luxury tax formula is anything but simple. It incorporates leaguewide benefits, projected player compensation, escrow, and several other accounting adjustments. The NBA doesn’t publish a straightforward equation because of its complexity.

What we have seen over the past few seasons is the luxury tax line landing at roughly 21.5% above the salary cap. Using that as the baseline, here’s a reasonable projection for what the luxury tax, first apron, and second apron could look like over the next several seasons.

Year	Projected Cap (5% Increase)	~Luxury Tax	~First Apron	~Second Apron
2027-28	$ 173,258,766	$ 210,509,401	$ 218,009,401	$ 229,888,401
2028-29	$ 181,921,705	$ 221,034,871	$ 228,534,871	$ 240,413,871
2029-30	$ 191,017,790	$ 232,086,615	$ 239,586,615	$ 251,465,615
2029-31	$ 200,568,680	$ 243,690,946	$ 251,190,946	$ 263,069,946

Why is that important? Because once we begin plugging potential Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks extensions into the cap sheet, we’ll get a much clearer picture of how they affect the Suns’ financial future. It gives us an idea of where Phoenix could ultimately land relative to the luxury tax and apron thresholds as the organization attempts to build a competitive roster across two different timelines.

One important distinction is that the contracts for Bridges and Brooks would not be tied to the salary cap the way Devin Booker’s is. Booker’s extension is based on a percentage of the cap. Bridges’ and Brooks’ extensions would instead be structured with fixed annual raises of either 5% or 8%, depending on the type of extension they sign.

In Bridges’ case, the Suns can offer only 5% annual raises if they extend him within six months of acquiring him. Once that six-month restriction expires, they can offer up to four years with 8% annual raises. I wrote a couple of weeks ago about what a Miles Bridges extension could look like. On the high end, if Phoenix were to extend him before January 13, the six-month anniversary of the trade, the maximum extension would be three years, $86.3 million.

When you plug that contract into the Suns’ five-year cap sheet, here’s what it looks like.

As you can see, the team sits at approximately $203.5 million in salary for next season, assuming the Suns exercise the team options on Khaman Maluach, Ryan Dunn, and Oso Ighodaro, and no major trades occur before then.

Based on our projections, that payroll would place Phoenix roughly $5 million below the luxury tax line and approximately $13 million below the first apron. At that point, the Suns would still have only 12 players under contract, leaving plenty of flexibility to continue filling out the roster. As the projections move into the 2028-29 and 2029-30 seasons, the overall payroll naturally declines because fewer players are under contract. So, on the surface, a Miles Bridges extension makes sense, both in the short term and potentially over the long term as well.

But here’s where things get tricky. The Dillon Brooks extension.

There’s no doubt that, if the shift in the culture and identity of the Phoenix Suns were an earthquake, Dillon Brooks would be the epicenter. What he brought to Phoenix last season was something few of us expected. Jalen Green arrived as the headline acquisition. The draft brought an influx of young talent. Dillon Brooks felt like an afterthought.

He quickly changed that perception. His hustle, grit, and aggressiveness came to define this team. For an organization with so many young players entering its ecosystem, he’s the ideal veteran to have in the locker room, teaching them and molding them to play the same brand of basketball. Phoenix Suns basketball.

But he’s also 30. If the Suns were to offer him the maximum extension available, he would be 34 when that contract expires. Brooks is eligible for the larger veteran extension, one that can begin at 140% of his current salary and include 8% annual raises. That puts the maximum value at approximately $125 million over four years.

So what does that look like when you plug it into the cap sheet?

And now we’ve arrived at the part of this thought exercise that becomes truly interesting. Because if the Phoenix Suns extend both Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks, using the maximum figures we’ve outlined, three years for Bridges and four years for Brooks, you begin to see why this becomes such an intriguing cap puzzle.

With two roster spots still unfilled on this hypothetical team next season, the Suns would already sit at approximately $231.3 million in payroll. Based on our projections, the second apron would be roughly $229.9 million. They’re already over it.

That immediately forces other decisions. Do you exercise Ryan Dunn’s team option, or do you save roughly $5 million by letting him walk? Does Luke Kennard exercise his $6.4 million player option, and if he does, does that contract suddenly feel expensive? That’s something we won’t know until we see him play this season.

That’s the short-term challenge. The long-term challenge is even more fascinating because the Suns are operating on two timelines. On one, you’re paying approximately $134.9 million in 2028-29 to Devin Booker, Miles Bridges, Dillon Brooks, and Collin Gillespie alone. At the same time, the next era of Suns basketball is beginning to arrive, and those extension decisions start coming into focus. Both Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming will enter the final year of their rookie contracts during the 2029 offseason.

If the Suns don’t extend them beforehand, both would be headed toward restricted free agency. Phoenix can negotiate an extension with Maluach as early as next summer, while Fleming becomes extension-eligible in the summer of 2028. Why the different timelines? Because they’re on different types of contracts. Maluach is on a rookie scale deal, meaning a maximum rookie extension would likely start at 25% of the salary cap. Using our projections, that would equate to roughly $47.8 million in 2029-30.

Add that figure to the approximately $172.7 million already committed to Booker, Bridges, Brooks, Gillespie, and Koa Peat, and the Suns would be carrying roughly $220.5 million in payroll. That still leaves them about $19.1 million below the projected first apron.

Fleming presents a different equation. As the 31st overall pick, he isn’t on a rookie scale contract. Instead, he signed a four-year second-round contract that runs through the 2028-29 season. If the Suns don’t extend him before then, he’ll become a restricted free agent. If they do extend him, the organization has much more flexibility because of the type of contract he signed coming into the league.

If Fleming develops into a quality rotation forward, a reasonable projection might be around $18 million annually. If he becomes a high-level starter, that number could easily climb into the $24 million range.

For this exercise, let’s use the $18 million projection. Now the Suns find themselves approximately $1.5 million below the projected first apron and roughly $13 million below the second apron. Here’s what that cap sheet would look like.

So what does all of this mean? What do we actually take away from it?

I think the first takeaway is that the Suns have to be incredibly responsible with how they approach extensions for Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks. Brian Gregory did a stellar job this offseason in acquiring players on what amounted to hometown discounts. Mark Williams, Collin Gillespie, and Jordan Goodwin all accepted contracts viewed as below-market value to remain in Phoenix.

There is optionality with Miles Bridges, both in what the Suns can offer and when they can offer it. If the Suns ultimately decide to extend Bridges (and I believe they probably will, given that they surrendered an unprotected 2033 first-round pick to acquire him), the contract needs to come in on the lower end of the range. The ripple effects extend well beyond the next couple of seasons. The same logic applies to Dillon Brooks. The length and number need to be calculated so as not to hinder future flexibility or negate the team’s ability to retain youth. Everything I’ve laid out here represents the most expensive outcome for Phoenix and the best possible financial outcome for the players. Reality will likely land somewhere in the middle.

Even so, all of these decisions have to be viewed alongside another one that is still approaching. Jalen Green. The Suns still have to decide whether to extend him, and that decision will come soon.

That’s really what this thought exercise comes down to. Short-term versus long-term understanding of financial flexibility, viability, and responsibility. Do you invest heavily in the veterans who currently define your culture? Or do you preserve flexibility for the moment when 2030 arrives, the dead cap finally disappears, and Devin Booker’s contract potentially comes off the books as well? Or do you do both, knowing that depth is needed to achieve the ultimate goal of winning? Keep in mind that Booker becomes extension eligible again in the summer of 2028, another significant decision the front office will have to navigate.

Much of this will ultimately be determined by how these players perform, and it’s far too early to predict those outcomes. But today, right now, the extension decisions surrounding Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks could have ripple effects that extend well into the future. It’s reasonable and prudent to work through those scenarios in an effort to define who the Suns want to become, understand where they could be financially, and recognize how closely those two things are tied together.

Ultimately, this is the balancing act the Suns have created for themselves. They have built a roster with a clearer identity, but maintaining that identity will require discipline. The next few years won’t be defined by one massive decision, but by a series of smaller ones that determine whether Phoenix can sustain competitiveness while allowing its young core to grow. The numbers matter, but so does knowing which players are worth building around when the next window opens.

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Now comes the fun part, at least for me. I’ve spent plenty of time analyzing the possibilities and laying out the different scenarios. But what would I do? How would I navigate this situation, and why?

I’ll start by saying I believe both players should receive extensions. The reason is simple. I’d rather have them as assets than risk losing them for nothing.

That is especially true in the case of Miles Bridges, considering the Suns surrendered a 2033 first-round pick to acquire him. If you don’t extend him, there’s a real chance that he leaves with nothing coming back in return. By extending him, you preserve optionality. Either Bridges produces at a high level and helps elevate the team, or you retain the flexibility to move him later if the right opportunity presents itself. From a long-term asset management standpoint, extending him makes sense.

The same logic applies to Dillon Brooks. The Suns didn’t surrender a first-round pick to acquire him, but his value extends well beyond the box score. He has established himself as a culture setter, elevating the competitiveness and professionalism of those around him. If the time ever comes to move on from Brooks, those qualities become part of his trade value. A young team with cap space looking for veteran leadership would have every reason to be interested.

The other reason I’d extend both players is that depth matters, especially for a team in the Suns’ current financial position. It’s difficult to build quality depth when you’re carrying significant dead cap. Yes, we all want to see the younger players receive more opportunities to develop. But that development has to happen responsibly.

If Bridges and Brooks aren’t extended, the young players won’t simply be stepping into their roles, they’ll be stepping into their minutes and responsibilities. And the bigger question becomes, who’s backing them up? Are you asking your entire youth movement to carry the load, hoping every one of those players develops into the kind of reliable rotation pieces that Bridges and Brooks already are? And what happens if they don’t? At that point, your depth is built primarily from veteran minimum contracts. Maybe you have access to a mid-level exception here and there, but that’s still a difficult way to build a complete roster.  

If you move on from Bridges and Brooks now, you’re placing an enormous amount of pressure on the shoulders of your young core before they’ve proven they’re ready for it. That’s a risky bet. And if they fail, the Suns fail. There’s no safety net. There’s no consolation prize. Phoenix doesn’t have a collection of lottery picks waiting to soften the blow over the next several years. The organization has to remain competitive while its young players develop, and veteran depth is a critical part of making that happen.

So my move would be to extend both Bridges and Brooks because of the optionality they provide.

The second part of the equation is the money. As noted above, I outlined what I consider the worst-case scenario from a salary-cap perspective. Those numbers are obviously the best-case scenario for Bridges and Brooks because they’re maximizing their earnings. But the Suns have to be smart and strategic. They need to offer contracts that reflect each player’s value while remaining fiscally responsible. Because if you operate at those maximum figures, you don’t leave yourself much flexibility on the margins.

With Bridges, I’d wait. Not until the full six-month mark, but long enough to see how he fits with the team. How does the chemistry look? How does he complement Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and the rest of the roster? It’s difficult to hand out an extension based solely on what he accomplished in Charlotte. Context matters.

He spent the past few seasons on a Hornets team that was frequently without LaMelo Ball and consistently relying on young lottery picks. He wasn’t exactly operating in an environment built for success. So when people project his numbers forward, remember this will be the first time he’s played alongside talent like Booker, Green, and Brooks. He has experience with Mark Williams, but the rest of the situation is entirely different.

At some point, you’ll have to make a decision. I’d let the first couple months of the season play out, evaluate the fit, then try to negotiate a team-friendly three-year extension in the neighborhood of $75 million.

As for Brooks? I’d get it done now. There’s no reason to play games. We know exactly who he is. About 85% of the time, you love everything he brings to your team. The other 15% of the time, you’re asking yourself what in the world he was thinking. That’s the Dillon Brooks experience. Even with those occasional frustrating moments, he’s become the heartbeat of the Suns’ culture. Down the road, the organization may eventually decide to move on as the young players continue to develop, but that’s another reason to keep his contract reasonable. It should reward what he brings while remaining attractive to other teams if a trade ever becomes necessary.

Four years and $125 million feels like too much. Three years and $75 million feels much more appropriate for the player he is and the role he fills. That’s right, give him the same contract you would to Miles Bridges. It’d look like this:

Year	Salary
2027-28	$23,148,148
2028-29	$25,000,000
2029-30	$26,851,852
Total Extension	$75,000,000

If both of those scenarios play out, the Suns would save roughly $8 million in cap space during the 2029–30 season. That’s meaningful flexibility for a team trying to thread the needle between competing now and preparing for what’s next.

We’ll see how the Suns ultimately navigate this extension cycle, especially with Jalen Green’s future looming as another major financial decision. But that’s how I’d approach it.

None of these decisions exist in a vacuum. Every extension is really a bet on the next three or four years of the franchise, balancing today’s competitiveness against tomorrow’s flexibility. That’s why I’d prioritize optionality above everything else. Keep good players under contract. Preserve assets whenever possible. Avoid creating holes that are difficult to fill. The Suns don’t need to be perfect with every contract they hand out. They simply need to give themselves as many paths to success as possible, and that’s exactly what these extensions would accomplish.

LeBron James knew Mike Gansey before he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in NBA free agency.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer and the 76ers' new president of basketball operations go back decades — all the way back to their high school days in Northeast Ohio, when James and the future West Virginia standout initially emerged as regional basketball stars. They later crossed paths in the NBA during James' two stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers before Gansey was hired by the Sixers to replace Daryl Morey this offseason.

How much that familiarity played into James picking Philadelphia remains a bit of a mystery, but the two are not strangers.

Here's a look at the longstanding connection in the aftermath of James deciding to join Gansey and the Philadelphia 76ers in NBA free agency:

LEBRON JAMES: 7 biggest winners and losers after 76ers land LeBron

LeBron James, Mike Gansey shared Northeast Ohio basketball roots

Gansey, 43, and James, 41, have a history together as teenagers, with their careers as high school basketball stars in Northeast Ohio overlapping for a couple years.

Gansey played for Olmsted Falls High School in the southwest suburbs of Cleveland, about 50 miles from where James went to school at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron. Gansey finished second in Ohio Mr. Basketball voting for the 2000-01 season as a senior, according to the Akron Beacon-Journal. James, then a sophomore, won the award for the first time and subsequently was named Ohio Mr. Basketball his final two years of high school as well.

While home from playing overseas in Europe during his professional career, Gansey attended a Cavaliers game with his brother and reportedly encountered James while there to speak with other players and training partners he knew.

“We were probably 100 feet from where LeBron and his people were talking,” Gansey's brother, Steven, said in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Someone said, ‘Ganz is over there.’ And LeBron totally walked the opposite way of where he was going, and went to dap up Mike, to say, ‘What’s up, hey man, how you doing?’ Just a quick hello.

“It just shows you the respect," Steven Gansey added. "And I was like, ‘Man, Mike, he really walked 100 feet over here, and just dapped you, and walked directly right back. That’s pretty cool.’ And Mike’s like, ‘Yeah, yeah, he’s a great guy,’ and that was it. I’ll always remember that.”

Photo links LeBron James and Mike Gansey as Ohio stars

Gansey's brother recently posted an old photo featuring James and Gansey in their high school uniforms standing next to one another for a photoshoot with other top basketball players in Northeast Ohio at the time.

👀 pic.twitter.com/2f1VjgQORa

— Steven Gansey (@SGAN30) July 2, 2026

How Mike Gansey's Cavaliers tenure connected him to LeBron James

Before being hired by the 76ers to replace Morey in June 2026, Gansey worked within the Cleveland Cavaliers organization for 15 years. He had spent the past four seasons as the Cavaliers' general manager and also had a five-season stint as the GM of the Cleveland Charge, the franchise's D-League affiliate at the time.

It means Gansey was around the organization for the entirety of James' second run with the Cavaliers beginning in 2011, including the team's historic 2016 NBA championship.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Before 76ers, LeBron James and Sixers president crossed paths in Ohio