LeBron James is leaving Los Angeles for Philadelphia, and he’s doing it for less money than he made as a rookie.
James’ agent, Rich Paul, confirmed to ESPN’s Shams Charania that the 41-year-old will sign a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, featuring a player option. Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the deal pays $3.9 million in 2026-27 and $4.1 million in 2027-28 — veteran minimum figures that drop James from the $52.6 million he earned in his final Lakers season to roughly $4 million. That $48.75 million reduction is the largest single-season pay cut any NBA player has ever taken, surpassing Russell Westbrook’s previous record of $43.2 million between 2022-23 and 2023-24.
When the contract becomes official, James will be tied with DeAndre Jordan as the 298th-highest-paid player in the league, earning slightly more than Svi Mykhailiuk of the Utah Jazz. His 2026-27 salary will be the lowest of his NBA career — his rookie deal with Cleveland paid $4.02 million in 2003-04.
The Sixers are hard-capped at the first luxury tax apron and sit approximately $572,000 above it after adding James, meaning the front office still needs to shed a player or complete a trade to reach cap compliance, per Bobby Marks. Philadelphia recently acquired Jaylen Brown from Boston, pairing him with an existing core that James reportedly found appealing enough to prioritize fit over compensation.
I’ve coached enough two-a-days in hundred-degree heat to know what it looks like when a man picks the team over the paycheck. You don’t have to like the analytics to read this one: a billionaire taking the minimum to chase a ring is a man who wants one more banner before the knees give out. The film doesn’t lie.
James is estimated by Forbes to have a real-time net worth of approximately $1.4 billion, with $85 million in off-court earnings over the past year alone. His total earnings of $137.8 million ranked fourth among all athletes globally. By the end of the 2026-27 season, Spotrac projects his career NBA salary at a record $585 million — built on $62 million in his first Cleveland stint, $64 million across four Miami seasons, $107 million in his second Cavs run, and $348 million over eight years in Los Angeles.
The reaction inside Philadelphia was immediate. At Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies were preparing for a series against the Yankees, stars Bryce Harper and Trea Turner both welcomed the move.
“He’s one of the greatest to do it,” Harper said. “He’s gonna have a great couple years here, and obviously everybody’s gonna expect him to win a championship, here and everywhere else, so nothing new for him.”
Turner, who grew up in Florida rooting for James’ Miami Heat, noted the added draw of playing alongside Brown. “I think it’s going to be pretty special,” Turner said. “Hopefully, they stay healthy and come together.”
Phillies manager Don Mattingly, who played basketball growing up in Indiana, kept it simple: “I love basketball.”
Across the division, the reception was less warm. Boston fans, already stinging from the Brown trade, questioned whether the Sixers’ star-studded roster can cohere. “There’s no chance this works out,” a Celtics fan named Josh told Boston 25 News. “There are not enough shots, too many stars, a million attitudes. I’m happy to watch it implode.”
The 76ers have not won an NBA championship since 1983. James has won four — two in Miami, one in Cleveland, one in Los Angeles. Brown’s first return to TD Garden is a preseason game in October, where the cheapest available seats are already listed near $180.
Sources:
- Yahoo Sports / HoopsHype — LeBron James takes biggest pay cut in NBA history
- Yahoo Sports — Bryce Harper, Trea Turner welcome LeBron James to Philadelphia
- Bleacher Report — LeBron James’ 76ers Salary Compared to Various Sports World Contracts
- Bleacher Report — LeBron James’ Historic Projected NBA Career Earnings Revealed
- Yahoo Sports / Boston 25 News — Celtics fans react to LeBron James signing with Philadelphia