LeBron James’ decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers continues to generate discussion across the NBA, with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst revealing another unusual aspect of the four-time MVP’s move.
Speaking on Get Up, Windhorst said James is not expected to live full time in Philadelphia despite signing a two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers.
“This is a one-off moment in the history of the league we’ve never seen a player ever say the following things: I don’t care about money, I don’t care about my family,” Windhorst said. “He doesn’t even that much apparently care about the city because he doesn’t seem like he’s going to be living in Philadelphia full time. Seems like he’s going to live at least part time in New York. So, this is—I don’t even know how to frame it because really, truly unbelievable.”
Windhorst’s comments underscore how unconventional James’ free agency has been. Rather than pursuing the largest possible contract, the 41-year-old accepted a deal worth just $8 million over two seasons with a player option, allowing Philadelphia to maximize its championship roster.
The 76ers entered the offseason determined to build around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Their blockbuster acquisition of Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics dramatically changed the franchise’s outlook, giving Philadelphia one of the league’s strongest star trios before James made his decision.
Brown arrived in exchange for Paul George, a 2028 first-round pick that can convert into a swap, an unprotected 2031 first-round selection and two second-round picks. The move followed the appointment of Mike Gansey as president of basketball operations and immediately established Philadelphia as a contender after the team finished 45-37 and reached the 2026 playoffs.
James’ arrival completed an aggressive offseason. Philadelphia also added Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade and Ariel Hukporti while signing first-round pick Labaron Philon and two-way players Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert to strengthen its depth around the veteran core.
