LeBron James is a 76er! ‘The most formidable starting 5 in the NBA’ - Shams 🤯 | First Take

Breaking news in here on First Take.According to Shams, LeBron James has made his decision.He is headed to the Philadelphia 76ers on a two -year veteran minimum $8 million deal, his agent Rich Paul told ESPN.So the big news that we have been waiting on, Stephen A, for weeks now has finally arrived.I know that you describe this as shock when you take a look at some of the other contenders, Miami, Cleveland, Golden State, Minnesota.Your surprise level on him being a Philadelphia 76er is rooted in what?

It's rooted in the fact that I know what Cleveland means to him.And him being available to go back home to Cleveland to end his career is what I anticipated.I thought that that would be too much for him to shun.Or to push aside not to say that he did it with any malice intent.Of course, he loves that area.It's home to him.

That's what I was thinking Miami.Obviously, even though you got Giannis and BAM.The reality is, is that you still need to fill a roster and you need a few things.If you're Miami, even if you were to get LeBron James in Cleveland, there is the James Harden factor because you promised him you're going to resign him and you never know if he's going to he's going to show up in a big game, meaning a game six or seven of a series.And obviously, you know what?There's only one basketball.

He's going to want it and James Harden's never really played off the ball.So you've got that issue.So, It makes total sense that it's Philly.I just thought that if he was going to go back East, it would be real difficult for him to say no to Cleveland because it's home.It's everything for him.He's deified there as well.

He should be.They'll hang a statue for him one day when his career is over.He will deserve it.Make no mistake about it.But I just thought that that was the kind of thingthat would get in the way of him going anywhere else.

If he went back East.So the fact that he's chosen Philadelphia from a basketball standpoint, it makes all the sense in the world with Maxi with edge comb with the acquisition of Jalen Brown, who was a stud and an all -world player in the NBA LeBron joining that crew as the elder statesman having those young thoroughbreds to carry most of the legwork.It makes perfect sense.I just thought that home would be too much of a pull for him to shove aside.

Shams Charania broke this story moments ago, and he joins us now on First Take.Shams, how did LeBron arrive at this decision?

Courtney, he spent the last few weeks talking to Philadelphia, Cleveland, Miami.As we know, those were the teams at the front lines of this because of the simple fact that LeBron James went into this process once he decided to leave the Lakers, that this would be about winning, about competing at a high level, building a culture with a team, having a team that he trusts.And so the Eastern Conference team represented a chance to contend at a high level.The Warriors were also considered, of course, the Minnesota Timberwolves were considered.Heavily as well, but this clearly for LeBron James.He looked at the rosters in Philadelphia After the Jalen Brown trade remember guys like Stephen a Courtney the Sixers were not even in the picture We're not on the map until Bob Myers and Mike Gansey went out there and traded for Jalen Brown So you have Tyrese maxi a BJ edge comb you have Jalen Brown and Joel Embiid So LeBron James looked at that roster He looked at the Cavaliers roster.

He looked at the Heat roster, and he is choosing the Philadelphia 76ers for a historic 24th season, but he's signing a two -year deal, a player option for a potential 25th season.So the Sixers and LeBron James are going into this.that he could very well play a historic record 25th season.And this is about Bob Myers and Mike Gansey and a slew of their players from Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brown, Joel Embiid all calling LeBron James having relationships with LeBron James specifically Tyrese Maxey and selling them on that vision that it was about winning.And so LeBron James made a decision today that he believes the Sixers are best positioned to go out there and win a championship.And so when he made it clear that this was not going to be a financial decision, he was able to go into it with a minimum contract no matter where he ended up.

He got the ability to pick where he felt he would have the best chance to win a championship And he put his money where his mouth is Courtney the last piece I'm told over the last week or so was just having that that family conversation with LeBron James We know Savannah his wife Zuri his young daughter.They're LA based Bryce his young his youngest son.He's at Arizona Bronte James is currently right now with the Lakers and so he's him going all the way to the East Coast, going all the way to the Eastern Conference no matter where he ended up, having that Familial buy -in that was very important for him.I think that was the last step in this decision today LeBron James shocks the entire NBA.He doesn't go Miami.He doesn't go Cleveland.

He goes the Philadelphia 76ers and he chooses Bob Myers Josh Harris that ownership group there and now a starting five of Tyrese Maxey VJ edge comb LeBron James Jalen Brown and Joel Embiid Got to ask you Shams, 43 years since the Sixers won a title.

We know from a basketball standpoint, it's an ideal fit to be quite honest with you.LeBron people forget how elite he was in transition last year.And then you take into account the fact that Joel Embiid was his Olympic teammate in 2024.You know Tyrese Maxey.We knowa stud he is, Jalen Brown, what a stud he is.

And we know that the family issue obviously was the last, the roadblock, because they had to buy in, no question about that.But Sean, from a basketball standpoint, what was tough?What was the toughest thing about LeBron?Ultimately reaching a decision between Philly and everybody else.I'm not talking about the family portion.I'm talking strictly basketball What was the toughest part about that?

I mean say today you have to look at all the rosters, right like Philadelphia I'm telling you was not even on this radar was not in the pool of candidates Bob Myers went out and got Jalen Brown that changed the equation the Sixers got on the map and and from there it became for lebron james now of almost four weeks of deliberation with lebron james rich paul that inner circle there and his family eventually but Trying to figure out what is the decision going to be based in?Is the decision based in, you know, a legacy story and going home with Cleveland?Is it based in kind of that middle ground where there is legacy with the Miami Heat?There's also a very good contending team there potentially with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.In Cleveland, we know there's Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, But he really had to sit with it and figure out what does it look like going to Philadelphia?You know, are you going to live in Philly?

Are you going to live in New York?Where are you going to live?What are your living conditions going to be there?Do you want to play with these players?We know, you know, over the last year, there was a back and forth with Jalen Brown and LeBron James.They seem to have patched it up.

in their public comments and I know those two sides have had some level of communication whether it's Jalen Brown to Rich Paul or in some form or fashion there being communication between all of those sides and so LeBron James was able to make a decision literally based in figuring out where he feels like he has the best chance to win a championship.and compete at a high level.And so today's decision of anything is LeBron James making it clear that he wants to go play his 24th and potentially 25th season in Philadelphia because he believes the Sixers have a better chance to win a championship than the Cavaliers and the Miami Heat.We'll see how it goes.But listen, that's starting five.My phone is blowing up with people stunned about this decision for LeBron James because you look at that starting five.

It's going to be as formidable if not the most formidable five starting five in the NBA.

I mean incredible insight in reporting their shams.We appreciate it.Let's bring in Brian Windhorse now windy.This news just drops.What's your reaction?

Well, I got to say in the last few days LeBron kept having conversations with some of Philly's players Joel Embiid obviously was a was a key conversation and I don't think Philly really loved their positioning in the running with a few days ago.They had made their pitch.Their big pitch was trading for Jalen Brown, but LeBron kept reaching out to the 76ers players, and it gave them hope that they were still involved.And really, as of yesterday, I really don't think anybody had any insight as to where LeBron was going.I would be interested to hear from LeBron at some point when he made up his mind here, but this is a decision, as Shams was saying, that I think is really based in winning the 2027 NBA championship.It's not, you know, I know that, you know, it was nebulous saying about happiness, but this is the team that he believes that him joining can do that.

I think you could make a case for Cleveland, you make a case for Miami, but the 76ers had two enormous things going for them in this, in this situation.Number one, they had Tyrese Maxey, a clutch client who was a star player.I can't, Say that enough LeBron's comfort level and connection with Tyrese Maxxie going back to when he was in collegeto when he joined, that is a factor here.Cleveland did not have that.Miami did not have that.

Draymond Green was recruiting him to Golden State, but they're in the Western Conference and there's complications there.The Warriors wouldn't have been that sort of instant championship contender.The fact that there's a clutch client at the centerpiece of this team, and the championship contender.I believe those two things intersecting.Plus, LeBron trusted the management.He trusts, I'm sure, Bob Myers.

Immense respect there.He trusts Mike Gansey, somebody he's known since high school.I think all of those things gave Philly a chance.Philly had some things going against them.They weren't home.They weren't Miami.

They weren't Cleveland.They weren't Golden State.But what they had going for them ended up being the difference.

We got to take a quick break here, but do not go anywhere.