Give LeBron James credit: He wasn’t bluffing.
During an episode of his Mind the Game podcast in late May, he said: “I think at some point in June, late June, as July rolls around, free agency starts to get going and as July rolls around and maybe into August, we’ll start to kind of get a feel of what my future may look like.”
James didn’t decide to sign a two-year, veteran-minimum contract with the Sixers until July 24. The Lakers had long moved on by then, as expected.
Shortly before free agency began,
LeBron informed the Lakers that they could “move on without him because he will play elsewhere.” They proceeded to splurge on Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton within the first 24 hours of free agency.
Now that most of the free-agency dust has settled — Jonathan Kuminga notwithstanding — it’s hard not to circle back to one question: If LeBron was willing to play on a minimum contract, why didn’t he just re-sign with the Lakers? He wouldn’t have to uproot his family and he’d get to finish out his career alongside Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Kessler.
His decision to join with the Sixers instead is fairly telling.
The Thunder and Spurs loom large
In his announcement, James said he still wanted to “compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.” He added that he believed he could help make the Sixers “a championship team.”
It’s fair to wonder how all five of LeBron, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid will fit together, although it’s not hard to see the upside if everything breaks right for them. Having that many star teammates will reduce the burden on each of them during the regular season, which should help keep them fresher for the playoffs.
“A source familiar with James’ thinking” told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that his choice “hinged on the pursuit of the fifth championship. After weighing his options, he landed on Philadelphia as the best situation for that.”
Left unsaid: He chose the Sixers over the Lakers in that regard.
While the Lakers now have one too many players signed to standard contracts after adding Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle and Kevon Looney to minimum deals, one would think the Lakers gladly would have sacrificed any of them to re-sign LeBron on a min. Perhaps California’s state income tax worked against the Lakers when the salaries being offered were otherwise the same, but it doesn’t seem as though LeBron even entertained re-signing with them. Why is that?
The presence of the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs in the West had to play a factor.
After this offseason, one could make the case that the East is deeper than the West, particularly assuming that the Kawhi Leonard trade eventually goes through. However, the West has the top two title favorites by far.
Could LeBron and the new-look Lakers have been in the race for a top-four seed in the West? They’d have to beat at least two of the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves for it, but that wouldn’t have been impossible. Potentially having to topple both the Thunder and Spurs in the playoffs, though? Just to get to the NBA Finals?
Again, it’s not like LeBron and the Sixers will have a cakewalk in the East. The reigning champion New York Knicks reside in the same division as the Sixers, as do the 2024 champion Boston Celtics (albeit sans Brown, the Finals MVP that year). The Miami Heat added Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason. The Indiana Pacers are getting back a healthy Tyrese Haliburton. The Toronto Raptors are (theoretically) reuniting with Leonard. The Sixers’ 25-year conference finals drought isn’t guaranteed to end.
But they don’t have to worry about the Thunder or Spurs until the NBA Finals, and they wouldn’t have to beat both of them in the playoffs. That’s a huge selling point for any team in the East right now.
One other factor might have helped drive LeBron out of L.A. as well, though.
The fan factor
LeBron has played for three teams in his NBA career thus far, and he’s won at least one championship with each of them. But no matter what he did in L.A., he would never replace Kobe Bryant in the minds of Lakers fans.
The Sixers have had plenty of all-time greats over the years, including Wilt Chamberlain, Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson. But they don’t have a Kobe-esque shadow looming over them.
In the Game Over episode about James’ decision, his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, discussed that with co-host Max Kellerman.
“I think the city of Philly is gonna embrace him,” Paul said.
“They’ll be a lot more appreciative than L.A.,” Kellerman replied.
Paul shrugged and said, “I just think it’s a different fanbase.”
LeBron alluded to that as well in his announcement.
“I am so excited to energize a new fanbase and start this incredible journey one last time,” he wrote.
He can already consider that mission accomplished.
A source “familiar with James’ thinking” echoed that to McMenamin as well.
“One of the things that was compelling about the Sixers was how passionate the fanbase is and how long it’s been since they’ve won a championship,” the source said.
The Sixers’ proximity to championship contention was undoubtedly their main selling point. LeBron didn’t leave the Lakers because of Kobe stans. But that sentiment popping up a few different times is telling, particularly since McMenamin reported a few months ago that LeBron felt the Lakers took him for granted at times.
LeBron’s beef is likely more with President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka than Lakers fans. But the lack of appreciation that he felt in LA compared to how Philadelphia has already received him might only further justify his decision to leave.
Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.
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