LeBron James’ latest decision shifts power in the Eastern Conference and could define his legacy

The Decision 3.0 has been made.

LeBron James announced he is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. Does that make James the end point of The Process? Hard to say.

Eschewing two of his former teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, and passing on his generational peer, Stephen Curry, James will play for a team that hasn’t won a title in 43 years, the fifth-longest drought of any franchise that has previously won a title (Sacramento, Atlanta, Portland, Washington).

The Athletic’s Will Guillory, Jason Jones and Eric Koreen discussed their reactions to James’ decision, its on- and off-court implications and where the move leaves the 76ers and their main competitors.

Why LeBron James chose the Philadelphia 76ers

Joe Vardon and Jeshua Kidd

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What was your initial reaction to LeBron’s decision?

Guillory: Shocked. In my mind, the longer this process went, the more it felt like he would just end up in Cleveland. That felt like the safest landing space for him, especially if he intended to make 2026-27 his final season in the NBA. But going to Philly is a bold decision. It shows how much he still wants to compete at the highest level in the postseason.

Jones: LeBron really chose “basketball happiness” over a good story, like returning to Miami or Cleveland. I never thought Golden State made any sense, especially if winning was truly the priority. I was intrigued by Minnesota, but of the finalists, this gives him the best chance at a fifth championship.

Koreen: My mind went, “Man, LeBron James doesn’t seem like a Philadelphia 76er.” After the messiness of The Process and its after-effects, putting someone as calculated as James into that environment is bizarre. That said, pairing a player and team that have consistently served up drama, albeit different kinds, for so long also makes sense.

LeBron says no to Heat reunion. What’s next for Miami?

Eric Nehm

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Was this the best basketball fit available?

Guillory: I still think Minnesota was the best fit just because of the defensive talent that would’ve surrounded him with Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards. But there’s no denying how much firepower the Sixers have when they are fully healthy. Tyrese Maxey, LeBron and VJ Edgecombe will be incredible in transition. The LeBron/Joel Embiid pick-and-roll should be fascinating. Jaylen Brown will be able to focus his energy on impacting the game in different ways instead of feeling the pressure to score 30-plus points every night. The Embiid factor of this is the scariest part of this entire experiment.

Jones: Miami might have been a better fit if LeBron wanted to have the ball more. I could see James playing off the ball, much like he did last season with the Los Angeles Lakers. I don’t know if that makes him the “No. 3” option or whatever, but the Heat were the only finalist that seemed to need a primary ballhandler.

Koreen: I’m with Will. That Wolves starting lineup really needed the connective tissue that James brings. I would have loved to see that experiment. Alas, James seems like less of a Timberwolf than a 76er. I’m glad, at least, he didn’t choose Miami or Cleveland. LeBron can find a way to fit in anywhere, but I wasn’t especially interested in watching him next to James Harden or Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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Was this the best move for his legacy, if that’s even a concern at this point?

Guillory: If he wins a championship and walks off into the sunset, this will absolutely be the best move for his legacy. LeBron’s legacy wasn’t a factor in any of this from my perspective. He’s already cemented it: NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Four rings. Arguably the most gifted player to ever touch a basketball. Even if this season ends poorly, we’ll view it the same way we did watching Michael Jordan in a Washington Wizards uniform.

Jones: No. The best legacy move was retirement. Anything short of a championship only adds to the anti-LeBron crowd’s ability to diminish his career. If the Sixers do not win a title, the naysayers will be loud. But even if they do, they’ll still be loud and call LeBron a ring chaser. I think that’s dumb, because James’ legacy is already set.

Koreen: 1. I don’t care about legacy. James is one of the greatest players ever, and any opinion on how great he is says a lot more about the person giving it than the subject. 2. James will be defined by his title in Cleveland. Everything else was bound to be a footnote, even if it will take up oxygen in the moment. 3. Michael Jordan is the greatest player ever.

After losing out on LeBron, Timberwolves chart path forward.

Jon Krawczynski

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How does this change the balance of power in the Eastern Conference?

Guillory: A fully healthy Sixers team has to be the favorite in the East. I have a ton of respect for what the New York Knicks just accomplished. They completed one of the most impressive postseason runs I’ve ever seen. There’s just too much offensive talent on this Philadelphia roster. It’s going to take time to bring it all together. Brown and James are two massive puzzle pieces to add. The scrutiny around this group is going to be at an all-time high. I just think it’s going to be impossible to guard these guys if everything comes together for them.

Jones: The Sixers are the biggest threat to the Knicks. There are still a lot of questions about style of play, Embiid’s injury history, etc., but anything short of the NBA Finals would be a disaster. James is one of the greatest minds the game has seen, and he’ll be counted on to help make things work on the court. If Philly is healthy and clicking, there might be a parade down Broad Street.

Koreen: I’ve got the Knicks as No. 1 but the 76ers as clearly the biggest threat to topple them. They had a nice offseason before getting LeBron on the minimum. This move gives them so much more playoff equity, even if it doesn’t necessarily change a lot about how I think of them in the regular season. I’ll say it again, though: Don’t sleep on the Pacers.

What moves come next? And which team that missed out on him needed him the most?

Guillory: I understand why the Warriors would be hesitant to give away future assets for Anthony Davis just to get one season with LeBron. In the grand scheme, it’s probably the logical decision when considering what life will look like after Stephen Curry. It just feels like Golden State had a great opportunity to give the Curry/Draymond Green/Steve Kerr trio one last shot at a playoff run and decided taking on Davis wasn’t worth it. Again, I get it. I can also understand why Warriors fans would be frustrated with that decision.

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The reality is, even with James in the fold, this group wasn’t going to be good enough next season to compete for a title.

Jones: Minnesota needed LeBron the most because the team could use some size in the frontcourt. Miami could have benefited from adding LeBron, too, but the Minnesota fit was intriguing. James is still great in transition, and him playing with LaMelo Ball and Edwards would have been fun. The rest of the NBA can go about making its moves now that the latest decision has been made.

Koreen: As I wrote above, I thought the Timberwolves needed James the most. I also don’t know where they go from here, as they and the Cavaliers are limited in the moves they can make. I wonder if James forgoing a “superpowers collide” pairing will push the Warriors to get more aggressive on the trade market. Forget Davis, but can they find a younger supporting piece to help both now and after Curry’s final years?

LeBron headed to Philly, leaving Warriors fans disappointed

Nick Friedell and Lauren Morales-Jones

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