By Robert O'Connell

The wait for a 41-year-old from Akron, Ohio, to choose his next employer is over.

In one of the final twists of his career, LeBron James picked the team that almost nobody expected when his free agency began weeks ago. The greatest player of his generation will be joining the Philadelphia 76ers as one of the greatest bargains in NBA history, signing a 2-year, $8 million contract, according to a person familiar with the terms of the deal.

"This is my last decision," James wrote on social media. "I'm not going for money."

James will join 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, 2023 MVP Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey -- one of the brightest young scorers in the NBA -- to form what is likely the last superteam of his career. The new-look quartet will aim to dethrone the New York Knicks and chase James's fifth championship.

From the moment James said he was leaving the Los Angeles Lakers last month, he captured the NBA's offseason in a way no forty-something ever has. That's because no superstar has been in quite his position. James is still a hugely capable All-Star, but willing to play relatively cheap in order to join a competitive roster.

Around the league, his onetime rivals imagined teaming up with one of the two greatest players ever to take the hardwood. Would he join onetime archrival Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors? Could he reunite with the Miami Heat, where he won his first titles? Might he even take on a mentorship role with Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs?

The flames were only fanned when James's agent, Rich Paul, publicly discussed the various franchises making their pitches at the start of July. Paul went on his podcast armed with a whiteboard, slotting James into various imaginary lineups around the NBA -- Minnesota, Denver, and Philadelphia.

While James kept the NBA waiting, he left clues as to where he might eventually end up. Speaking at Fanatics Fest in New York last week, James told fans to "Trust the Process." That phrase is the longtime mantra of the 76ers organization, as they rebuilt from one of the worst franchises in the NBA to a perennial playoff team.

James has changed teams three times before, but the circumstances are far different than when he was a superstar in his prime reshaping the league by switching his zip code. James will turn 42 in December, but he has established himself as the most effective senior citizen the NBA has ever seen.

Only four players in the entire NBA averaged 20 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists last season -- and James was one of them.

But James's greatest show of force came on the stage he has owned for two decades: the playoffs. When James's co-star Luka Doncic went down injured before the Lakers' postseason, most observers expected them to bow out quickly against the younger, fresher, and statistically better Houston Rockets in the first round. James had other ideas, putting up throwback scoring numbers and hitting last-second shots to lead L.A. to a series win.

Perhaps the most meaningful part of James's deal with Philadelphia now is that the Sixers brought him in at such a discount. While James's numbers and playoff heroics say that he is still firmly among the upper echelon of NBA stars, his new deal is paying him like a somewhat useful backup.

His annual salary of $4 million makes him currently the 317th-highest paid player in the NBA.

As other contenders have had to count every penny this summer, James's deal means the Sixers can add one of the best players in the world while keeping what they already have.

In the old days, James joining a new club meant that that team immediately became a contender. But new challenges await. For one thing, the Sixers have spent seasons rocked by injuries, with Embiid in particular missing substantial time with leg ailments.

But James has never joined a franchise without bringing it a championship. It is that track record -- and the low cost of the bet -- that made it a gamble the Sixers couldn't afford to skip.

Write to Robert O'Connell at robert.oconnell@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 24, 2026 12:03 ET (16:03 GMT)