If you hadn’t heard, LeBron James is now a Philadelphia 76er.
While several rumors linked James to a homecoming with the Cleveland Cavaliers, another stint with the Miami Heat, or even a superstar team-up with Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, he chose the City of Brotherly Love.
And Jaylen Brown is a big reason why.
The connection between the two transactions was first reported by The Athletic and confirmed Wednesday by James’ agent and Klutch Sports CEO, Rich Paul, on his podcast “Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul.” The 41-year-old didn’t truly consider taking his talents to Philadelphia until the 76ers completed the blockbuster trade for the two-time All-NBA guard from Boston, Paul said.
“If you would have heard our conversations one day before the trade and then two days after the trade, those conversations couldn’t have been further apart,” Paul said.
“There wasn’t even radar on Philly in that case.”
The Celtics agreed to trade Brown to the rival 76ers for veteran wing Paul George, two first-round draft picks (2028 and 2031) and two second-round picks (2028 and 2030) on July 1.
The 29-year-old Brown was an All-NBA Second Team selection after averaging career highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game for the Celtics last season. But tension between the star guard and the franchise ultimately led to him being sent to Philadelphia and the team that ended Boston’s season last spring.
The 76ers fell behind 3-1 to the Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs but rallied to win the series in seven games, thanks in large part to Joel Embiid returning from injury and averaging 28.6 points in 37.3 minutes per game over Philadelphia’s final three wins. The 76ers were then swept by the eventual champion New York Knicks in the second round, including a 30-point loss in Game 4.
Philadelphia added Brown to a lineup that already included All-NBA Third Team guard Tyrese Maxey (28.3 points and 6.6 assists per game last season), 2023 league MVP Embiid and ascending rookie guard VJ Edgecombe. The 20-year-old Baylor product finished third in the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 16 points in his debut season.
Despite that star power, the team went 45-37 last season and had to survive the Play-In Tournament to secure the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Brown’s arrival transformed the 76ers into legitimate championship contenders. It also gave them a roster capable of luring the biggest name available in free agency.
“We never really heard from the Sixers because the Sixers never really thought it was even a chance,” Paul said. “(Then) we started having conversations about just basketball in itself and how things could play out and what it takes to actually win.”
In announcing his decision, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer cited his pursuit of another championship as the driving force behind the move.
“I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family,” James wrote on X.
“I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.”
out. 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?
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
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 24, 2026
So he chose Philadelphia.
But only after the 76ers made the move for Brown and convinced him they built a roster worthy of chasing another title.
