LeBron James opens year 24 with the 76ers vowing no more second-round exits

LeBron James told reporters at his first Philadelphia 76ers media day on Monday that he had not left his family to lose in the second round, setting the bar for his record 24th NBA season.

That line tells Sixers fans exactly what the NBA’s all-time leading scorer expects. Philadelphia have not gone beyond the second round since 2001, and last season ended in a second-round sweep by the eventual champions, the New York Knicks.

What did LeBron James say at 76ers media day?

James, 41, set the tone early at the team’s base in Camden, New Jersey. He tossed his name placard aside and asked the room: “You guys know who I am, right?”, according to the Associated Press.

He then spelt out the target. “I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round. I know that for sure,” James said, adding that he was ready to put the work in.

James said guard Tyrese Maxey, his workout partner since 2020, was one of the main reasons he picked Philadelphia from a shortlist of five teams, NBA.com and USA Today reported.

He declined to discuss how many more seasons he plans to play. He said he preferred to live in the moment at this stage of his career, according to the AP.

How much did LeBron give up to join the Sixers?

James signed a two-year, $8m deal on the veteran’s minimum after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency this summer. The second year is a player option.

His salary this season is about $3.9m, down from $52.6m in his final Lakers campaign, according to Yahoo Sports. That is a pay cut of more than $48m.

Philadelphia had to waive Dalen Terry to fit him in under the league’s spending limits, Yahoo Sports added. CBS Sports reported that the final five teams in the race were Philadelphia, Cleveland, Miami, Golden State and Minnesota.

Who will LeBron play with in Philadelphia?

James joins a rebuilt roster. The Sixers sent Paul George and four draft picks to Boston in July for Jaylen Brown, the 2024 NBA champion and Finals MVP, according to NBA.com.

The projected starting five pairs James and Brown with Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid, PhillyVoice reported.

Embiid, the 2023 MVP who was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, arrived visibly slimmer after an injury-hit season. He kept his regimen private but said he felt good.

His fitness is central to any title push. Philadelphia are 11.2 points per 100 possessions better with the Cameroon-born centre on the floor, according to NBA.com.

James also preached patience, saying chemistry takes repetition and a willingness to give up a shot or two for the team.

What happens next

Training camp opens on Tuesday. Philadelphia’s preseason starts at home to the Knicks on 5 October, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The regular season tips off with a rematch at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday 20 October at 7pm ET, which is midnight WAT going into Wednesday. The home opener against Cleveland follows on 22 October.

Opening night sends James straight to the champions who swept Philadelphia last season. There will be no gentle start to year 24.