LeBron James was undoubtedly the biggest free agent this entire offseason after his contract expired with the Los Angeles Lakers. It was unclear exactly what he would do next, as retirement was also a possibility.
James remained relatively quiet after the Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs. The four-time champion eventually notified Los Angeles that he would not be returning to the team.
“LeBron James will return for an unprecedented 24th season in the NBA -- but it won't be with the Los Angeles Lakers. James has informed the Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday," ESPN wrote.
James took his time to make the right decision before the former league MVP ultimately decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.
“LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers for his final run at another NBA championship, he announced Friday," ESPN's Dave McMenamin wrote. "James, 41, is signing a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania."
However, while James begins this new chapter of his career, his family remains rooted in Los Angeles. James is splitting his time between Philadelphia and New York during the season, and he has admitted that adjusting to life with the 76ers has been a struggle.
“Every day is getting better, and obviously I’m gonna have some days where some days will be better than others. But when I get to the facility, around these guys, it definitely helps,” James said.
The four-time champion has rarely been away from his family throughout his career, but now he hardly gets to see them. His son Bronny is playing for the Lakers, while Bryce is in Arizona playing basketball. Meanwhile, Savannah and Zhuri remain in Los Angeles as Zhuri continues her education.
James will likely only do this for two more seasons at most, but adjusting to life away from his family will be challenging. The four-time NBA champion misses his family, making his adjustment to Philadelphia something worth watching throughout the season.
