LeBron James is heading to the City of Brotherly Love, but many have panned his decision to join the 76ers, seeing it as an attempt to give himself the best chance to win a championship.
With James leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, many expected the King to join either the Cleveland Cavaliers for a homecoming or the Golden State Warriors for a superstar partnership with Stephen Curry.
However, everyone was caught off guard when James decided to join the already-stacked Philadelphia 76ers, who were weeks out of adding former Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to a starting lineup featuring former MVP Joel Embiid, All-Star Tyrese Maxey, and standout rookie VJ Edgecombe.
Even at 41 years old, this move from James has come under criticism for being an attempt from him to stack the deck in his favor as he searches for a fifth championship.
LeBron James went from $52 million to $4 million to win a championship
Last season, James was making $52 million with the Los Angeles Lakers, opting in to his player option and remaining one of the highest-paid players in the NBA.
And while James wasn’t receiving offers close to that amount, LeBron going from making $52 million to the $4 million veteran minimum contract is certainly surprising.
In his first statement after signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, LeBron James made it clear why he decided to join the team.
“The decision wasn’t motivated by money, nor by 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 a championship.”
For James, winning a championship is the ultimate goal. But is the 23-time NBA All-Star going above and beyond to chase a ring by taking the veteran’s minimum and joining an already stacked team?
Well, at least in the eyes of current and former players, James is doing what’s best for him, as players like Derek Fisher, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green have defended his move.
But fan sentiment has certainly not reflected similar opinions, as many fans believe James is doing exactly what he did in 2010 and 2014 – joining established stars to lighten his workload en route to a championship.
LeBron James is taking the easy way out yet again in critics’ eyes
In 2010, LeBron James joined forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat to chase what was at that point an elusive first NBA championship.
For many, James gave up on winning with the Cavaliers and teamed up with a proven champion in Wade to get an easier route to the trophy.
Four years later, after winning two championships with the Miami Heat, James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers, buoyed by the rise of Kyrie Irving and demanding the team trade for All-Star Kevin Love.
The trio managed to bring Cleveland their first world championship in over 50 years in what is considered the greatest NBA Finals of all time.
Now, 10 years since then, James is joining a team rife with All-Star and All-NBA talent to compete for a fifth NBA championship.
For critics of LeBron James, this is yet another instance of him pairing up with other elite players to give himself the best chance to win another championship.
There is nothing wrong in James wanting to win another championship. But those who criticize LeBron believe he has taken the easy way out by teaming up with two other superstars to get there.
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