LeBron James has signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, a decision that has sent shockwaves through the National Basketball Association. The move comes as a surprise, with Cleveland and Miami previously considered more likely destinations for the league's all-time leading scorer.
NBA stars and personalities shared their reactions to the unexpected transfer. Chris Bosh, a former teammate of James with the Miami Heat, expressed his surprise, stating he did not anticipate this outcome. "I didn’t see this one coming," Bosh said in a video posted to his Instagram. "I didn’t think he was gonna go to Philly, the weather and being cold. I was joking around that the old folks go to Miami and stuff like that. I guess not. The old guys still compete for championships, that’s what it’s about." He added that the 76ers are now, in his opinion, the instant favorites to win the NBA championship for the upcoming season and potentially the next few years.
Former player Vince Carter commented on James' move to Philadelphia on the Cousins podcast, humorously describing it as "cheating" due to the perceived ease with which James can still perform at a high level while elevating his new team. "Now your fifth starter has to guard one of those guys," Carter said.
Danny Green, a former teammate of James with the Los Angeles Lakers, also shared his astonishment. "I was like this can’t be real news, Shams is somebody hacking you, this can’t be real news, you know what I'm saying? Two-years, $8 million to Philly none of that was in the cards for me. So, yeah it was shocking, just as shocking as the Jaylen Brown news probably for me," Green stated.
An unnamed former Lakers teammate recalled James discussing serious consideration of signing with the 76ers in 2018 before ultimately joining the Lakers. Charles Barkley also weighed in, criticizing James for what he perceives as consistently assembling "super teams." "The number one knock on LeBron for older guys like myself has always been, yo, man, you always stacking your team. He stacked it in Miami. He stacked it in Cleveland. He stacked it in LA. Now he’s stacking it in Philly. So that to me, I’m going to still have the same criticism I’ve always had," Barkley said on The Stephen A. Smith Show.
Athletes from other sports with ties to Philadelphia also reacted. Eagles star Saquon Barkley welcomed James to the city via social media, while Phillies star Bryce Harper, who had previously made a free agency pitch to James, praised Philadelphia as a great city for sports. "It’s obviously a great city to come play in, fanbase-wise, sports-wise. Feel like the city is in a really good spot with all the teams right now. Just a really good spot to be in," Harper said.
Despite being the oldest active player in the NBA, James continues to exert significant influence on the league, now bringing his talents to Philadelphia.