Former Lakers Star LeBron James Signing With 76ers

James then put out a thread explaining his decision:

This officially closes the book on James’ eight-year tenure with the Lakers, which is the longest time he’s ever spent with a team consecutively. While those years were filled with plenty of ups and downs, there’s no denying that James helped return the Lakers to prominence when no other stars wanted to.

Not only did James lead the Lakers to their 17th championship in 2020, but he helped guide the organization and fanbase through the difficult time of Kobe Bryant’s passing. He also set countless records in purple and gold, including passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

With it being clear that the Lakers had shifted their focus to building around Luka Doncic, it was just time for James to move on and finish his career elsewhere as he pursues his fifth championship.

Him choosing the 76ers does come as a surprise given the other options, but James is clearly prioritizing the opportunity to compete for another championship and believes Philadelphia is his best chance to do that.

Lakers, Jeanie Buss release statement thanking LeBron James

Following news of James’ decision to not return to the Lakers next season, the franchise and team Governor Jeanie Buss released a statement thanking the 41-year-old for all that he did for the team.

“LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in history,” Buss said. “We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers – including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold. We wish him all the best in the future, both on the court and off. He will always be a cherished part of the Lakers family.”