The hoopla is over: LeBron James is taking his talents to South Philadelphia.
James has agreed to join the 76ers on a reported two-year, $8-million deal.
The 76ers’ 2027 NBA Finals odds soared from 20/1 to 9/1 at DraftKings Sportsbook following the announcement Friday, tying them with the Knicks and trailing only the Spurs and Thunder.
Their price to win the Eastern Conference finals increased from +750 to +350, which has them slightly behind the Knicks at +330 odds.
Kalshi prediction market traders estimate Philadelphia’s chances at 11 percent.
The 76ers projected a 9 percent chance to land James on Kalshi right ahead of the announcement, trailing the Heat, Cavaliers and Warriors.
James, who turns 42 in December, joins newly acquired former NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, ex-MVP Joel Embiid and two-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey in the quest to end a 43-year championship drought.
The 76ers’ odds increased from their offseason-opening odds 55/1 to 20/1 after the team acquired Brown from Boston in exchange for Paul George and four draft picks on July 1.
This will be James’ record-breaking 24th season and it likely marks the final stop in his legendary career.
“This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point?” James said on X. “I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.”
The 76ers were mired by a lack of size and rebounding depth last season, and injury concerns with Embiid only exacerbated the issue before suffering a second-round sweep to the Knicks.
A lack of bench production left Maxey carrying the lion’s share of Philadelphia’s offensive workload, too.
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Since the 76ers drafted Embiid in 2016, the furthest they have gone is Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2019.
James took on a supporting role in Los Angeles down the stretch last season, finishing with 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists before ultimately being swept by the Thunder in the second round.
In his eight seasons with the Lakers, he won his fourth NBA Championship and NBA Finals MVP in 2020, was selected to eight All-Star Games and became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in 2023.
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Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.
