LeBron James is expected to live in New York City while a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, with a Zohran Mamdani tax policy likely influencing his decision.
LeBron will spend his 24th NBA season as a member of the 76ers, with a potential primary option like the New York Knicks becoming unavailable after their 2026 title win.
Even though James is going to be representing the pride and joy of the city of Brotherly Love, he is expected to make New York his primary residence, and Zohran Mamdani might play a part.
Zohran Mamdani’s Pied-à-Terre tax policy might lead to LeBron James staying in NYC
Since James’ move to the 76ers has been announced, many reports have suggested that one of his motivations to move to Philly was to establish a New York City base for his post-NBA life.
However, Mamdani introduced a Pied-à-Terre, or second-home, tax policy, which applies on top of regular property taxes to residential properties in New York City that are not used as a primary residence.
James can’t just buy a New York house for the future and choose not to live in it, so this would allow him to establish a base in the city and not worry about additional taxes.
James will have to pay New York State income tax on his $3.8 million contract for next season if he’s staying in NYC, but that might be a smaller amount than what he might end up paying in Pied-à-Terre taxes.
LeBron doesn’t own any residential properties in New York yet, but is expected to potentially buy a home or apartment for next season.
Instead of buying the property and continuing to live in Philadelphia over his two-year contract, James can just focus on setting up a life in New York for years to come, instead of living temporarily in Philadelphia just to avoid paying second-home taxes in New York.
Nothing is confirmed regarding James’ potential living decisions, but ESPN’s Shams Charania said that the 41-year-old could commute to Philly via chopper.
He might still end up living in Philly, but it makes sense for James to start establishing a life in New York while being a year or two away from retirement.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
