Now that LeBron James has officially decided to join the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million contract, many are happy that the saga is finally over. Yet, one of his former teammates is responding with confusion.
James’ Former Teammate Says Deal ‘Doesn’t Add Up’
With James’ free agency sweepstakes finally reaching a conclusion, the immediate reactions are now pouring in. Some are purely analytical, projecting how James can help elevate an already good 76ers starting five into a great one, possibly the best in the NBA.
Other takes have focused on the contract structure. Two years is fascinating for a 41-year-old. Would he stick around for both? “There’s a real chance.”
More so, James’ former teammate Danny Green, via the ‘Inside the Green Room‘ podcast, suggested that the dollar amount “doesn’t add up” for the basketball icon.
“I think it was shocking all around. The landing spot. The money that they got him for. I was like, this can’t be real news,” Green said.
“Shams is somebody hacking you? This can’t be real news, you know what I’m saying? Two years, $8 million to Philly. None of that was in the cards for me. So, yeah, it was shocking. It was just as shocking as the Jaylen Brown news probably for me.”
Danny Green says he was shocked to see LeBron James join Philly:
“I was like this can’t be real news, Shams is somebody hacking you, this can’t be real news, you know what I’m saying? 2 years $8 million to Philly none of that was in the cards for me. So, yeah it was shocking it… pic.twitter.com/XwmXmWYvk6
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) July 24, 2026
James was never expected to sign for top dollar, not this offseason. This time, it was all about focusing on finding the best basketball fit for the NBA’s all-time scoring leader. The 76ers, with a stacked starting five, accomplished that goal.
Wherever James would have signed, it would have been for the veteran minimum; this wasn’t some exclusive deal the 76ers masterfully designed.
At the same time, Green’s response is understood. This is the greatest basketball player since Michael Jordan, and he’s signing for a bargain rate. He’s never earned less in a single season of his NBA career than what he’s projected to make in his first year with the 76ers.
Nevertheless, this is the type of contract James could have signed anywhere. He chose the Sixers for a reason. Now the NBA is about to find out whether the 22-time All-Star made the right choice.
As with every move he makes, James will be expected to compete for a championship. Anything less will be viewed as an utter failure.
