LeBron James is set to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to the Guardian, which reports a two-year, $8m deal that includes a player option. The agreement was confirmed to ESPN by Klutch CEO Rich Paul, and James addressed the move himself in a post on X on Friday morning.

“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 said, according to the Guardian.

The move marks a record-extending 24th NBA season for James, who Sky Sports notes is the league’s all-time leading scorer. CNBC reports the switch comes after his time with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The decision is notable given that, according to Al Jazeera, James had said he was “done” following his 23rd NBA season and that it would be his last with the Lakers. The 76ers signing sees the 41-year-old, described by the BBC as a former Lakers star, returning to the court for another campaign.

In an opinion piece, the Guardian argued that Philadelphia was not the obvious destination for James but that the fit makes sense for a player who has consistently prioritized team fit over sentiment. The piece suggested James weighed and ultimately passed on other potential landing spots before choosing the 76ers.

The Guardian’s analysis characterized James as someone who has long assessed rosters carefully, noting he understood that other options carried significant risks around health, roster strength or being unproven at the championship level.