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LeBron James is heading to the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year deal worth close to $8 million, ending eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers for what he's calling the final chapter of his career. The move puts him in the same locker room as Jaylen Brown , whose 2024 comments questioning Bronny James ' NBA readiness never fully disappeared.

James confirmed the decision himself on X on Friday, framing it as a chance to chase one more championship rather than a payday. The signing reshapes Philadelphia's roster around Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey , and it puts a two-year-old family flashpoint back in the spotlight before James has even played a game there.


LeBron James' family feud with Jaylen Brown
Jaylen Brown's issue with the James family traces back to the 2024 Las Vegas Summer League, when he was caught on video telling WNBA players Angel Reese and Kysre Gondrezick that he didn't think Bronny was a pro. Brown later tried to walk it back on social media, writing that "it's a flex to have your son alongside you in the NBA."

James addressed it directly earlier this year after a Lakers-Celtics matchup, telling reporters their relationship had been respectful "besides the [expletive] he said about Bronny at Summer League," per Celtics on CLNS. He added that the two would be fine going forward, though the comment made clear he hadn't forgotten it. Now they're teammates, and the first shared locker room session will carry that history with it.


Why did LeBron James select the Philadelphia 76ers?
James turned down a reported frontrunner in Golden State, which one source close to the situation described as feeling more like a retirement tour than a real title shot given the difficulty of the Western Conference. Philadelphia's roster, headlined by Brown, Embiid and Maxey, offered a more direct path back to the Finals through the East.

James explained his own thinking in the statement announcing the move, writing that he still wanted to compete and that "I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team." He had strongly considered retirement after his 23rd season before deciding he had more to give.


Jaylen Brown also has history with Joel Embiid
Brown's comments haven't been limited to the James family. After Boston's first-round playoff exit to Philadelphia earlier this year, Brown said flopping had hurt the league and pointed at Embiid directly, calling him "one of the greatest players that has played basketball" while adding that he flops and knows it. Sixers executives are said to have worked to smooth over both relationships before James' arrival, with Maxey's ties to agent Rich Paul helping ease the process.

None of that history guarantees friction once the season starts, but Philadelphia is now betting that three stars with real history can coexist long enough to end a championship drought that stretches back to 1983. Embiid's health will decide how far that bet goes.