Nick Nurse got one hell of a birthday present when LeBron James – the best player of his generation – decided to join the 76ers.
James announced his decision to join Nurse in Philadelphia on Friday, which just happens to be the former Raptors head coach’s 59th birthday.
After weeks of waiting on King James’ free-agency decision, the 42-year-old four-time NBA MVP revealed his “last decision” in a post on social media.
“I thought I was done when the season ended. 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,” James posted on X.
“I still truly love this game, and I have more to give. The last few weeks have really been special. I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think. I’ve had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out.
“This is my last decision. 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.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.
James signed off by thanking his former teams, the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers – with the latter two having reportedly been contenders to sign the four-time 22-time all-star before he chose Philly.
According to Spotrac, James contract is for two years and worth a total of just under US$8 million – a far cry from his two-year, $101-million deal he was coming off. The new contract also includes a player option for the second season.
How will LeBron fit in with the Sixers?
James, who spent the past eight seasons with the Lakers, joins a starting group in Philly that certainly looks formidable on paper.
He’ll likely slot in at power forward next to former MVP Joel Embiid at centre, with young guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe as well as Jaylen Brown – the Sixers’ other big off-season addition.
While James has stepped back from his role as an all-encompassing superstar on the court in recent years as he has aged, he remains a threat as a scorer, passer and rebounder.
One big question will be how Nurse will run his offence with such a star-laden group of players on the court, considering many play their best with the ball in their hands.
How Brown factors in — both on the court and off it — after his blockbuster move from the rival Boston Celtics also remains to be seen.
But perhaps the biggest question of all remains the health of Embiid. The seven-time all-star has never played more than 68 games in a season (back in 2021-22) and hasn’t played more than 39 games in any of the past three seasons.
How does LeBron’s move affect the Raptors?
While James’ official announcement of his move to the Atlantic adds another star to the division, the Raptors remain waiting on word regarding the NBA’s investigation into the ties between Kawhi Leonard, the Los Angeles Clippers and Aspiration, a now-defunct company alleged to have made paid Leonard for no-show work.
However, reports on Thursday claimed that the investigation into whether Leonard and the Clippers had circumvented the NBA’s salary cap could be close to an end.
That would set in motion the eagerly anticipated return of Leonard to Toronto, where he led the Raptors to the 2018-19 NBA championship.
As for seeing James across the floor as a member of the 76ers, the NBA legend has been a thorn in the Raptors’ side for decades.
A potential playoff series between the two teams would no doubt refresh the ‘LeBronto’ meme, with James having sent the Raps home on several occasions during his time with the Cavaliers.
Making it to the playoffs may be a struggle, though. The 76ers already had been primed to fight for the division crown with the reigning NBA champion New York Knicks while the Celtics remain a threat despite the Brown trade. With only the lowly Brooklyn Nets to beat up on in the Atlantic, wins might be tough to come by for a Raptors team that will still have some sizable flaws after the pending addition of Kawhi.