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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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, 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.”
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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
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.
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:
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.”
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.
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.
Governor Josh Shapiro has added some declarations to the mix, making today LeBron James Day. — Gabe Zaldivar
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.
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.
BREAKING: LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option, Klutch Sports Group and Klutch CEO and Game Over show host Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ALOlTkgdAV
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.
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.
Los Angeles, CA - February 25: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks controls the ball against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half of a NBA basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
With the LeBron James summer saga rolling along and potentially into August, the Cleveland Cavaliers remain in the dark as to which way the Hall-of-Fame forward is leaning. But there is reportedly some angling being done by James to make his next destination feel like home — even if it isn’t technically.
According to ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill, James reportedly “had been angling” for Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving to join him in Cleveland. However, as noted by ESPN, the Mavericks reportedly have no interest in trading Irving, and the point guard likewise is comfortable in Dallas. The 34-year-old Irving missed all of last season rehabbing a torn ACL, but figures to play an important role for the Mavericks next to budding star Cooper Flagg.
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The Cavs have had a quiet offseason so far, with the drafting of Maleek Thomas being the only notable acquisition. The team lost Dean Wade to the Philadelphia 76ers (and former General Manager Mike Gansey), Keon Ellis to the Brooklyn Nets, and Larry Nance Jr. to the Indiana Pacers. While they did give Donovan Mitchell a contract extension, the team has not signed point guard James Harden yet — though the two sides appeared ready to work toward an extension. The domino they are waiting to fall appears to be James.
Irving spent three seasons with James in the Wine and Gold, though the relationship ended on a sour note with the point guard’s trade to Boston. However, the Cavs have a fairly fluid roster that could be malleable to what James would want to play alongside. Compared to the Miami Heat and the 76ers, who mostly have their rosters set, the Cavs have players and contracts they could dangle in a trade to bring in someone James would want to play with. The team has reportedly been shopping Max Strus and his expiring contract in a trade, and Dennis Schroder is a candidate to be moved as well. Then there is the frontcourt that has teetered on the edge of separation for years.
If James is waiting on a move to be made before making his decision, the Cavs have some pathways to making it happen — depending on who it is.
LeBron stunned the NBA by choosing Philadelphia over Cleveland, Miami, and others, joining a roster that already includes Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown.
I need a second to process this, because good news in this city usually comes with an asterisk.
I've spent the better part of the last three decades following the Sixers, and in that time I've all but convinced myself that heartbreak is the house style in Philadelphia. After all, this is the same franchise that has spent a decade bracing for the worst every time Joel Embiid so much as jogs up the court, because some version of a knee, a face, a thumb, or a suspension always seems to be lurking around the corner. The same one that traded away hometown kid Mikal Bridges -- whose own mother worked in the building -- only to watch him win a title somewhere else. And, oh yeah, the return on that trade? Zhaire Smith, who nearly died from an undiagnosed peanut allergy before he ever got a real chance on the floor.
If you wanted to design a cursed sports laboratory, you would build the Philadelphia 76ers.
So when word first started circulating weeks ago that LeBron James was actually entertaining Philadelphia as a free-agent destination, I laughed it off. Not because the roster wasn't good enough -- Mike Gansey had already seen to that with the Jaylen Brown heist this summer -- but because good things simply do not happen to this organization in a straight line. There's always a catch. There's always a Bryan Colangelo burner account, a Markelle Fultz yips saga, a Ben Simmons no-show waiting in the wings.
Then Friday morning happened, and the King himself blew the doors off every model, every insider projection, and every fan's expectations.
James informed the world on X that this was, in his words, his last decision, adding that he wasn't chasing money or family at this stage of his career and instead wanted to know what he was still playing for. He said he still wanted to sacrifice, still wanted to compete, and still wanted a real shot at winning it all one more time. He went on to say he believes he can help turn the 76ers into a championship team and that he's thrilled to energize a brand-new fan base for this final ride, while thanking the Lakers, expressing love for Miami, and reaffirming that Northeast Ohio will always be home.
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!
Read that again. LeBron James -- a four-time champion, four-time Finals MVP, four-time MVP, a 22-time All-Star, and arguably the greatest player to ever live -- chose Philadelphia over a return to Cleveland, over Miami, and reportedly over looks from the Warriors, Timberwolves, and Nuggets too. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the deal is two years and $8 million with a player option, which tells you everything about James's motivation here. This isn't about the bag. This is about the opportunity in front of him, and evidently, he looked at Philadelphia's roster and decided it gave him the best shot at one more parade.
It's worth remembering just how unlikely this specific outcome was even a few weeks ago. Rich Paul had reportedly walked through James's options on his own podcast and pointed to Gansey's arrival as a real factor in Philly's favor, along with James's fondness for Tyrese Maxey, but the industry consensus had Cleveland as the sentimental frontrunner before Miami overtook them as the betting favorite. Philadelphia was the name mentioned almost as an afterthought. And yet here we are.
I keep circling back to the same thought: This is the same city where things always seem to go sideways. And I want to be clear that the ghosts haven't fully left the building. Embiid's health is still the variable that decides everything. The Sixers still have to figure out spacing and shot distribution with this many alpha scorers on one roster. Nick Nurse still has to build actual chemistry among personalities that have never shared a locker room. None of that goes away just because the greatest player of his generation signed his name on a two-year deal.
But look at what's actually been assembled here. This roster wasn't stockpiled through tanking and lottery balls this time; it was built through two decisive front-office swings in the span of a summer. Call it a new kind of process, but this city knows better than anyone that you have to trust it before it pays off.
LeBron says “Trust The Process” and the crowd went nuts 💀
Maxey was fifth in the league in scoring last season en route to All-NBA honors. Embiid, when healthy, is still capable of winning a scoring title outright. VJ Edgecombe looked like a walking playoff highlight reel as a rookie and is still climbing. Jaylen Brown arrived this summer as a Finals MVP with a chip on his shoulder the size of the Liberty Bell after Boston shipped him out unceremoniously. And now you're adding LeBron -- even a 41-year-old, mileage-managed version of him -- as another scoring threat who can guard multiple positions, run pick-and-roll reads in his sleep, and settle a huddle in the fourth quarter of a playoff game like almost nobody else in the sport's history.
That's not a hypothetical title contender anymore. That's arguably the most talented five-man group this franchise has had since Allen Iverson dragged a far less star-studded roster to the 2001 NBA Finals. Iverson did that essentially by himself, on will and crossovers and 48-minute nights, against a Lakers dynasty that steamrolled everyone else in its path. This version of the Sixers doesn't need one guy to be everything. It has four or five players who can be the best player on the floor on a given night, with one who has done it at the highest level more times than anyone else alive.
The money side of this deal matters just as much as the roster fit. Brown's salary climbs from $57 million this year to $61 million next, topping out at $64.9 million in 2028-29. Maxey's new extension is already baked in. Embiid's deal is settled. And Edgecombe is still working through his rookie scale for the time being, so his next contract isn't a conversation the front office has to have yet. That gives Philadelphia two seasons of relative cost certainty before the bigger questions arrive -- what Edgecombe's second contract costs, and what LeBron decides to do once his two-year deal plays out. For a franchise that's rarely had this much clarity on what it's actually paying for, that's a meaningful head start.
Which is why, as strange as it feels to type this sentence about a franchise built on managed expectations and cautious optimism, the Philadelphia 76ers should be among the betting favorites to win it all the moment training camp opens. The room for error is bigger than it's been in a generation, because the talent absorbs bad nights better than any Sixers roster has in 25 years.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has already declared July 24 "LeBron James Day," and honestly, fair enough. This is the biggest thing to happen to this franchise since Iverson was crossing people up in the Finals, and it happened in a way that nobody, including this writer, thought was realistic.
Something will inevitably rear its head at some point; that's the nature of following this franchise, and history doesn't just erase itself because LeBron decided to show up. But for the first time in longer than I can remember, the story in Philadelphia isn't about what could've been. It's about what's actually standing in front of them. And what's standing in front of them might be the best chance this city has had to hang a banner in nearly a quarter-century.
Ladybugs don’t seem particularly important. They’re tiny, harmless-looking beetles that spend their days crawling over leaves. Yet remove them from an ecosystem and things could fall apart. While a ladybug has never snagged an offensive rebound (that we know of), thinking about them made me think about someone who has.
Ladybugs are valuable precisely because they do unglamorous work. Like a ladybug, Mitchell Robinson is productive in a specific way. A single ladybug can eat up to 5,000 aphids. With the Knicks, Mitch gobbled up 3,164 rebounds. Unfortunately, ladybugs live 1-3 years in the wild (though many adults only survive a few months). Also unfortunate: we were lucky if Mitch made 1-3 of his free throws.
This off-season, Robinson signed a 3-year, $47.4 million contract with the Boston Celtics. Allegedly, the deal outpaced what the Knicks offered by about $10 mil per year. On the surface, it’s a classic money grab—although less of a grab than Isaiah Hartenstein’s fistful of dollars when he left New York for tornado alley.
Fans have griped about the situation. The contradictions are rampant. We wanted Mitch to stay and get paid. We spent years complaining about his injuries and lack of availability. We expect the front office to be shrewd, then we bellyache about not breaching the second apron on his behalf.
We had plenty of time to develop affection for the seven-foot Cajun. He wore a Knicks uniform for approximately 29% of his life. That’s a big chunk of existence, and it’s poignant to remember he essentially grew up as a Knick.
Since getting drafted 36th in 2018, he had been the team’s longest tenured player before this departure. He was a young 20 years old when he debuted at Madison Square Garden, playing for a David Fizdale-coached team that finished 17-65.
During those dark days, the promise of Robinson’s raw talent was a lonely, flickering candle. He appeared on the All-Rookie team. And he is funny, always reliable for a ridiculous soundbyte. Remember that time he told Fred Katz about his D Train? Classic Mitch.
Ladybugs are fragile and—you know I’m gonna say it, just relax—so is Mitch. There’s no debating that the dude is strong as an ox. He also missed about 40% of his regular season games. Out of 656 regular season contests, he played 397. Why? His medical chart reads like the index of Gray’s Anatomy: ankles, feet, hand, thumb, pinky, hamstrings, illnesses, surgeries. The guy’s had roughly as many injuries as Johnny Knoxville without being shot out of a cannon (that we know of). Perhaps you can guess why Leon Rose & Co. were reluctant to match the offer Brad Stevens laid out?
Beyond the money, his leaving is probably about pride, too. Before Karl-Anthony Towns arrived, Mitch was the starting center for the Knicks. In Boston, he’ll start again. That must flatter the ego. The question is, how many minutes per game can he give the Celts?
As a reserve last season, Mitch averaged under 20 minutes of play over 60 regular season contests. He fell to 13.9 minutes per game in the 2026 playoffs, across 18 games. His career high for games played in a season is 66 (his rookie year) and he’ll celebrate his 29th birthday in April. Sports medicine has made remarkable strides, but it has yet to cure aging.
The nostalgic narrative about Robinson will benefit from him leaving with a championship ring. Good feelings about the Knicks are flowing through the five boroughs and out across the land. Everyone wants to keep the band together. If he had departed after an early playoff exit, the sentiment would surely have a more “he quit on us” vibe.
What did he owe us anyway? That’s a weird thing about sports. Fans view players as commodities and expect some degree of loyalty. Most athletes are mercenaries for hire, balancing families, careers, and the cold certainty they’ll be out of the league quicker than Isaiah Thomas (the son) if they suffer a complicated injury. When Boston showed up with two wheelbarrows of money, you can’t blame Mitch for pulling out his pen.
What will the ecosystem of the New York Knicks be without him? Well, what would the world be like without ladybugs?
Primarily, ladybugs serve as natural controllers of aphids and other soft-bodied plant pests, and according to smart people with clipboards, their extinction would cause noticeable disruptions. Without them, aphid populations would surge rapidly, leading to increased damage to plants, crops, gardens, and forests (aphids suck sap, transmit plant viruses, cause wilting, stunted growth, and mold). That means higher economic losses in agriculture and potentially more chemical pesticides. Blech.
Extract one important piece out of an ecosystem and the whole thing can start misbehaving. Nobody notices ladybugs until the aphids arrive. Nobody notices offensive rebounds until they’re all going to the other team. How essential was Mitch, his energy, rebounding, and personality to the Knicks as a whole? We’re about to find out.
(Fun Fact: A visit from a ladybug is often considered good luck in many cultures around the world. I’d bet a visit from Mitch would be pretty cool, too.)
Good luck, big fella, and thanks for all the fish.
LeBron James is now a 76er, and he brings with him to Philly some of the most remarkable stats in NBA history.
Games, wins, minutes, points, All-Star appearances. You name it, he’s among the NBA’s all-time leaders. And we’re here to break it all down for you.
It’s LeBron James Stat Time!
1. With career averages of 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game, James is one of only three players in NBA history to average 25 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists per game. The others are Luka Dončić (29.4, 8.6, 8.2) and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson (25.4, 7.5, 9.5). Only LeBron, Magic Johnson and Ben Simmons have averaged 7 assists, 7 rebounds and 1 ½ steals per game in their career.
2. James’ 700 career games with 30 or more points is an NBA record. He broke Michael Jordan’s record of 671 when he scored 40 points in the Lakers’ win over the Nets on March 31, 2024 at Barclays Center. James also has the most 20-point games with 1,589, nearly 300 more than Kareen Abdul-Jabbar’s 1,291 and not surprisingly, he also holds the NBA record for 10-point games with 1,913 — 180 more than Abdul-Jabbar.
3. James isn’t just the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 51,961 points, he’s scored 23,641 points since turning 30. He needs only 179 points to pass Abdul-Jabbar’s record of 23,819 points after turning 30.
4. James has been an NBA All-Star a record 22 consecutive years, every year of his career other than his rookie year with the Cavs in 2003-04. The previous record was Kobe Bryant’s 17 straight All-Star teams from 2000 through 2016. James was top-10 in MVP voting a record 15 consecutive years from 2004 through 2018. He’s been top-10 in MVP voting 18 total times.
5. In addition to being the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, he’s also the postseason scoring leader with 8,521 points — more than 2,500 more points than Jordan’s 5,987. He’s also the NBA postseason leader with 506 steals.
6. James has played in an NBA-record 1,226 wins, eight more than Abdul-Jabbar. His 188 postseason wins are an NBA record, 27 more than Derek Fisher. He’s played in 1,048 regular-season wins, 26 fewer than Abdul-Jabbar’s record-1,074. James’ four NBA championships — 2012 and 2013 with the Heat, 2016 with the Cavs and 2020 with the Lakers — are tied with Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson for most among active players. The only other players to win NBA titles with three teams are former 76er Danny Green (2014 Spurs, 2019 Raptors, 2020 Lakers), John Salley (1989, 1990 Pistons, 1996 Bulls, 2000 Lakers) and Robert Horry (1994, 1995 Rockets, 2000, 2001, 2002 Lakers, 2005, 2007 Spurs). Only James has been Finals MVP with three teams.
7. James averaged 20.9 points per game last year, more than twice as many as any other player 41 years or older has ever averaged. The next-highest scoring average by a player 41 or older is Abdul-Jabbar’s 10.1 with the Lakers in 1988-89. In 2024, James averaged 24.4 points per game at 40 years old. That’s eight points higher than anyone else. Abdul-Jabbar scored 14.6 in 1987-88. James’ overall average of 22.8 points per game since turning 40 is nearly 10 points per game higher than the next-highest player in NBA history, Karl Malone, who scored 13.2 points per game in his 40s. Only Abdul-Jabbar (12.4) and John Stockton (10.8) also averaged double digits in their 40s. James’ 7.7 assists per game are tied with Stockton for highest ever by a player in his 40s and his 7.0 rebounds are 2nd-most behind Malone’s 8.7.
8. James has 11 triple-doubles in the NBA Finals. Only Magic Johnson, with eight, also has more than three. James has 11 of the 40 all-time NBA Finals triple doubles, or 28 percent of every Finals triple double ever recorded.
9. James is the oldest player ever to score 40 points in a game and until December last season he was also the youngest player to score 40 points in a game. James was 40 years, 52 days last year when he scored 40 points against the Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Ore. He was 19 years, 88 days when he scored 41 vs. the Nets with the Cavs against the Nets at Gund Arena in Cleveland. He was both the oldest and youngest player to score 40 in a game until Cooper Flagg scored 42 points at 18 years, 359 days for the Mavs against the Jazz at Delta Center in Salt Lake City this past December.
10. Including the postseason, James has played an NBA-record 73,506 minutes, more than 7,000 more minutes than 2nd-place Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The only NBA player to average more minutes than James over the last 20 years is Allen Iverson.
Duke and Michigan's non-conference men's basketball matchup, previously scheduled for Dec. 21, has been canceled, a Michigan spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on July 24.
The two powerhouse programs had originally agreed to play at Madison Square Garden in New York City before trying to move the game to the Miami Marlins' stadium. Neither team could come to an agreement, according to multiple reports, and Duke will now play Texas Tech at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 21 instead.
A request for comment by USA TODAY Sports to Duke was not immediately returned at the time of publication. Michigan declined to comment, but confirmed prior reports of the game's cancellation.
Duke originally negotiated a three-game TV deal with Amazon Prime Video in April after the game had been scheduled. That complicated the matchup for Michigan, as the Big Ten has a broadcast partnership with Fox. The Big Ten believed Michigan should receive a cut of the revenue for the game with Madison Square Garden being in the conference's TV footprint.
"Hopefully it'll be resolved," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said at Big Ten spring meetings in May. "It's a great college basketball game, given who we are, who they are in college basketball. I love the opportunity to play them, but we just have to make sure everything was right."
Duke and Michigan played each other last season, ending in a 68-63 win by the Blue Devils in Washington, D.C., over the eventual national champions. That game was a part of a separate game not broadcast by Amazon Prime Video, but was rather displayed on ESPN.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin said there was no shot the game would be played when asked at Big Ten spring meetings.
"No chance it goes through," he said. "Not when Fox has paid hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars for the rights."
Former Michigan coach Dusty May has also since left the Wolverines for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, which also could've played a role in the game being canceled. Michigan has since elevated assistant coach Mike Boynton Jr. to full-time head coach after previously appointing him as its interim coach.
Both Duke and Michigan are expected to be among the top teams in the country next season, as both return talented rosters from runs to the Elite Eight or beyond in 2025.
How did Sergio De Larrea go from a relatively unknown Spanish prospect to a standout at the Summer League (SL), providing some of the most exciting highlights of the week?
Toni Canyameras, a journalist covering the NBA for Spanish sports media Mundo Deportivo from Toronto, followed De Larrea closely during SL. He was also able to interview both De Larrea, Mavs SL head coach Joe Boylan and his teammates about the Spanish rookie’s first experience playing in the US.
So I asked Toni Canyameras about his impression of his countryman during SL:
“The way he [Sergio De Larrea] has dominated on the offensive end through his understanding of the game has been really impressive. While we can’t compare the Summer League to the NBA, it was a completely new environment for him on and off the court and he has dictated the pace and the tempo of the possessions with his passing.”
The 20-year-old point guard averaged 10 assists and dished out 14 against the Thunder, which only three other players had accomplished in the SL, Canyameras pointed out.
“His ease in producing alley-oop passes has been incredible, and nobody knew how to stop it, despite it often being the same situation: De Larrea driving to his right to deliver the lob pass.”
This compilation by the Dallas Mavericks social media team provides some great examples of just that. De Larrea’s vision and passing ability, as well as the natural feel he seems to have for the game, stands out.
“A knack and feel” for the game and that it’s “innate”, “something you can’t teach”, as Mavs SL head coach Joe Boylan describes it. We will get back to that later.
De Larrea’s ability to scan and pass before the defender can catch up left defenses scrambling. And Dallas excited.
“The special thing about him is how quickly he sees everything and his fast decision-making,” Canyameras said.
Was Mavs coach Joe Boylan impressed with De Larrea’s passing, as well? To say the least:
“I mean, you saw some of those – he jumped up, looked at the corner, threw it to the wing. Just unbelievable passes,” Boylan told Canyameras.
“He’s [Sergio De Larrea] a guy, who is kinda wise beyond his years. He showed you guys the alley-oop pass and he has some things that you just can’t teach.”
When asked how De Larrea’s lob passing will translate to the NBA and to playing with the Mavericks bigs, Joe Boylan said:
“I think it’s a perfect fit. Everyone talks about how in the NBA it’s bigger, stronger, better athletes. I think that plays into Sergio’s strength. His ability to find guys above the rim… He does a great job of communicating with his teammates of things he wants to see to put them in positions to be successful.”
Being able to interview Sergio De Larrea in his native language, as well as having followed him and other Spanish players in their local leagues previously, gives Toni Canyameras a unique understanding of the Mavs rookie. Was he as mature off the court in SL as he seemed when he played?
“He looks like a humble, mature and very easy-going guy off the court. I feel he is very genuine, like when he is playing basketball. He gave us very honest and insightful answers and never wanted to brag about his passes; he always gave credit to his teammates for catching his lob passes and converting them into assists,” Canyameras said.
“He’s so poised, he’s so composed,” coach Boylan said about De Larrea.
“He was a little down on himself for some of the shots, but we don’t want to judge guys by just the results. We want it to be process oriented, and I think he took a bunch of great shots.”
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 9: Sergio De Larrea #55 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on July 9, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Stephen Greathouse/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks clearly had great expectations for their new rookie backup point guard before SL, and he seems to have lived up to all of them.
And so it looks like Sergio De Larrea, affectionately called Larry in Spain – which was immediately adopted by Mavs fans and media alike – could be looking forward to a much bigger role next season than most people expected.
Though more moves could be on the horizon, it was very telling when Dallas traded backup point guard Ryan Nembhard earlier this week. He was part of a three-team trade, sending Nembhard to Atlanta and acquiring former number one pick, Zaccharie Risacher from France. Trading a pg for a wing seems to be a clear signal that the Mavs intend for De Larrea to play a bigger role than most expected.
The trade came right after SL, suggesting that the Mavs wanted to make sure De Larrea was as good as they hoped, before making any moves. And according to Boylan, they have no doubts.
He remained enthusiastic about De Larrea the whole week, offering details of what stood out to him:
“He handled the pick’n’roll. I thought he did a great job at handling a lot of the pressure. Summer League can be really difficult for taller guards, because you get these athletic pressure guards to try to get up under you.”
“Super impressive job. He was facing full court pressure the whole game. You saw he was exhausted… It was just an awesome performance by Sergio,” Boylan told Canyameras after the game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The story of the Dallas Mavericks’ connection to De Larrea goes back further than most of us realized. He was not a prospect they just stumbled upon.
They had kept an eye on him for a while, according to the 6’7 point guard himself. He emphasized that he wanted to feel ready before making the jump to the best league in the world.
“Dallas had been following me for a while, and I’ve been a fan since I was a kid. But above all, they had confidence in me, and I felt physically and mentally ready to make the leap,” De Larrea told Toni Canyameras.
And Boylan also revealed that the 20-year-old, still riding on the wave of winning the Spanish ACB league championship with Valencia, went straight to work as he came to Dallas.
“He’s got an amazing feel for the game. He was sending me clips last night about how to attack the defense that Memphis runs. He’s a student of the game. He’s studying on film. And then I just think some of it is innate. He has a knack and feel.”
VALENCIA, SPAIN – MAY 13: Sergio de Larrea, #5 of Valencia Basket celebrates at the end of the EuroLeague Play Off Game Five match between Valencia Basket and Panathinaikos Aktor Athens at Roig Arena on May 13, 2026 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by JM Casares/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images)
While De Larrea’s ball-handling had been questioned after the first games, perhaps looking somewhat loose, it improved vastly as the week progressed, Canyameras points out.
“Another thing that stood out to me was how confident he became in his ball-handling as the Summer League went on. I’d say that he still has to put a lot of work into his body but managed to beat high-ball pressure with his skillful handling. He knows very well how to change pace and direction with his crossovers.”
Joe Boylan:
“I agree. He faced full court pressure from NBA caliber guards for 40 minutes and he did a tremendous job of attacking their pressure. I mean, he was really vocal in the timeouts. Really stepped into a leadership role with some of our other guys out. Really, really proud of what he did tonight.”
But what about his SL teammates? What did they think about this youngster straight from the Spanish system and tradition?
“Always looking to create for others before himself,” was the first thing Mavs two-way player and SL teammate John Poulakidas said when asked what it’s been like to play with De Larrea.
“When you got a player like that on the floor it makes basketball a hell of a lot easier for everybody else,” he told Canyameras.
As always, when Europeans make the transfer to the NBA, there’s a lot of rumbling about whether they can handle the physicality and athleticism of the NBA. So I asked Toni Canyameras about his thoughts on this.
“That’s a good question. I think he will gain more ability to drive and break down defenses, attacking one-on-one’s. Due to his ease in making assists, teams might go for more switching to guard him in order to take away time and space for those passes, and in this context he will have to create advantages by attacking bigs on the perimeter.”
Here’s what Joe Boylan said when Canyameras asked him about the next step in De Larrea’s game. This also says a lot about how Dallas is planning on using him next season:
“A lot of teams will be so scared of him playing in pick and roll against coverage that he will face a lot more switching in the regular season, and there will be opportunities for him to create one-on-one and to go and finish at the rim and finish contested layups. I think that’s going to be the next step in his growth, just the ability to go and break down his man, going and finishing contested layups.”
And Boylan later got even more into details about how the Mavs intend to use De Larrea next season:
“He looks like someone who played point guard growing up. His passing, his vision, his IQ … then he hit a growth spurt and that probably allowed him to potentially play multiple positions. And I think the NBA is trending towards having as many point guards on the floor as you can at one time. I think that gives you a lot of flexibility and adaptability, you can play alongside another ball-handler.”
“I think he’ll get opportunities both as a primary and as a secondary guy,” Boylan said.
As the Dallas Mavericks are looking more international than in a long time, the influence of more team-oriented players will show, as well. Another thing to look forward to in the upcoming season.
El entrenador de Dallas Mavericks, Joe Boylan, sobre De Larrea a @mundodeportivo:
“Anoche me enviaba vídeos de cómo atacar la defensa de Memphis. Es un estudiante del juego, su trabajo fue impresionante. Tomó un rol de liderazgo con muchos chicos fuera” #NBApic.twitter.com/Zo2VvRFrKB
🏀 De Larrea y su siguiente paso según el entrenador de Dallas en la Summer League, Joe Boylan:
“Muchos equipos tendrán miedo en el pick and roll y se enfrentará a muchos más cambios. Tendrá más oportunidades de crear 1 vs 1 y finalizar en el aro”#NBApic.twitter.com/Hu5PNzkYl0
🟠 Sergio de Larrea, sobre los motivos para dar el salto ya a la #NBA este año desde el Valencia:
“Dallas llevaba tiempo siguiéndome y he sido fan de pequeño. Pero, sobre todo, que tenían confianza en mí y me sentía física y mentalmente preparado para dar el salto” pic.twitter.com/SrEKomW13F
💬 “Siempre busca crear para otros antes que para sí mismo. Cuando tienes un jugador así en la pista, hace el baloncesto muchísimo más fácil para los demás”
Just like with Brown, it will be a while before anyone fully grasps that James is a Sixer. He was an All-Star before rookie guard Labaron Philon Jr. existed. At 41 years old, he decided to take his talents to Philadelphia and try to win his fifth NBA championship.
Six or so weeks ago, Gansey held his introductory Sixers press conference. He didn’t speak like an ultra-polished executive who’d faced the media a million times before. His family listened from the first row, Sixers brass from the second.
Gansey declined to detail much about his plans. He seemed perhaps most confident when discussing his time in the Cavaliers’ front office.
“I was there 15 years,” Gansey said. “Worked my way up, intern to GM. I give (president of basketball operations) Koby Altman a lot of credit … and the Gilbert family. They let me do my thing. I had a ton of responsibilities. I think nowadays, when people can be a G League GM, that’s a huge stepping stone in their career. I was able to do that and it helped me when I became assistant GM, and then all the way to GM.
“I did all the day-to-day. I was talking to players, to agents, collaborating with the head coach. … And then obviously dealing with ownership. So I haven’t been the No. 1 guy, but I’ve been right there with Koby and Koby put a lot on my plate. I was very fortunate to be able to work as much as I did. He gave me a ton of responsibility.”
“Man, I don’t like talking about myself,” he said. “I just feel that I can lead. I can lead a group of people.
“There’s going to be alignment throughout the building. I’m going to be very collaborative with the head coach. Me and (Nick Nurse) are going to be attached at the hip. … We’ve got really good players. We’ve got some young players and we’ve got some vets that can really play. I’m just excited to get this thing started, get to know everyone in the building, and just get going.”
James will attract an absurd amount of attention, as he always does. He’s the sort of athlete who transcends sports and invites the circus to town. Anything related to James and the Sixers will be spotlighted, dissected and fiercely debated. As long as James is in the lineup and the Sixers are rolling, Xfinity Mobile Arena will be packed and passionate.
Though he’s unequivocally past his prime, James hasn’t been making All-Star Game after All-Star Game just because of his name. He averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in his final season with the Lakers. James drilled a heap of well-contested, clutch jumpers in Los Angeles’ Dec. 7 win last year over the Sixers and posted 29 points on 12-for-17 shooting, seven rebounds and six assists. All indications are that James has plenty left in the tank.
He deliberated over many options before landing on the Sixers. Gansey was obviously far from the only factor that mattered to James. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer has long admired Tyrese Maxey’s all-world work ethic, positive personality and ever-growing game. He knows Joel Embiid is a former MVP who often looked dominant last season when healthy. James will understand where the Sixers might be flawed and have a clear image of how a title-winning season could transpire.
He’ll talk about it all, the world will react, and opening night will eventually arrive in October.
After Gansey’s star-centric, almost unbelievable summer, James will be wearing a Sixers uniform.
