This first part is where I tell you that, now that LeBron James made his decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s time for him to deliver.
This second bit is where I acknowledge that we hold him to an unreasonable standard.
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Cruising social media in the moments after James surprised the NBA world Friday, July 24 and announced he would be joining his fourth different team, the prevailing sentiment was that a failure to deliver a championship in Philadelphia would derail James’ legacy. And while James’ addition does indeed make the Sixers a superteam, some pragmatism is in order.
This is not a player in his prime; this is one who will turn 42 years old seven weeks into the regular season. This is not a max player, but one who will sign a two-year, $8 million deal on the veteran minimum exception. This is not the 45-point Bron who silenced the TD Garden in Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals as his team was facing elimination. This is a veteran who, in defiance of his age, remains relevant and productive.
Our expectations of what he can be in his early 40s should reflect all that in kind because LeBron James, at this point in his career, is not a No. 1 or No. 2 option. He’s a complementary player. He’s someone who does many things well, most of all on-ball creation and ball distribution.
So if the 76ers fail to win an NBA championship during James’ tenure there, it should not be weighed as some sprawling indictment on James as a player.
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“I thought I was done when the season ended,” James wrote Friday. “I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game.
“I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”
More: 7 biggest winners and losers from LeBron James joining the 76ers
Paired alongside Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid, James will need to carve out his role and will likely have to defer. To make it work, he’ll have to sacrifice his usage rate. This will be new for him.
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But what bears repeating is that James is single-handedly rewriting the standard of production for someone his age.
Let’s take a look, for a moment, at the time another goated icon, Michael Jordan, signed with a new team in the twilight of his career.
After three seasons away from the NBA — his second of three career retirements — Jordan signed with the Washington Wizards in 2001 and played two seasons there. Washington posted a pair of 37-45 seasons with Jordan, who was 38 when he made his Wizards debut, nearly four years younger than James will be when he launches his Sixers tenure.
Jordan did earn a pair of All-Stars in Washington, and he did elevate a team that had won just 19 games the season prior to his arrival.
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Yet, the Wizards couldn’t even crack the postseason with Jordan. Granted, those Washington teams were nowhere near as talented as James’ Philadelphia outfit will be, but Jordan’s lack of postseason success in Washington did nothing to mar his legacy.
For whatever reason, James tends to be judged more harshly. Much of this is due to the impossible constraints we place on him and others when debating legacy. We tend to prefer tidy, conventional narratives: players who remain with one team their entire career, players who fit easily-defined roles, players who take pay cuts for the good of the team.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) controls the ball against Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Dec. 7, 2025.
James could become the first player in NBA history to win championships with four different franchises. It would be yet another clear marker of his longevity, excellence and adaptability.
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James sacrificed the neater legacy fits (the Cavaliers and Heat) and is taking on a larger risk by joining a new team. Ultimately, these are the very traits — sacrifice, hard work and the pursuit of greatness — that we love to celebrate in sport. Why should James chasing it, at 41 years old, be any different?
“This is my last decision,” he said. “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 another championship.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Did LeBron James make right decision? Why signing with 76ers should be celebrated | Opinion
