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Bill Simmons says LeBron was going to sign with the Cavs instead of the Sixers
Bill Simmons is about as plugged-in to the NBA as a sports media personality can be. And according to the long-time “Sports Guy,” LeBron James was supposed to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers and not the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason.
In July, Bill Simmons said on his eponymous podcast that the Golden State Warriors’ reported interest in LeBron was nothing more than negotiating leverage.
“Now it’s pretty clear they were being used as leverage as LeBron goes back to Cleveland,” Simmons said at the time. “The Cleveland thing is done.”
Just a couple of weeks later, however, the 41-year-old LeBron signed a two-year, $8 million deal with Philadelphia — the lowest salary of his 24-year career — to join forces with Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid in an effort to add another NBA title to his legacy.
“I still truly love this game, and I have more to give. The last few weeks have really been special. I’ve never been able to have no clue what to do and take real time to just think,” James said when announcing his decision to join the Sixers.
“This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for 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.”
Bill Simmons claims that LeBron James was supposed to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers and that he doesn’t know what happened
With the NBA’s Media Days — the unofficial start to the season — taking place this week, Simmons revisited the topic on a recent episode of his podcast.
“He was going to Cleveland. I don’t know what happened. I can’t wait for the story. Something happened,” Simmons said, adding that LeBron’s move to Philadelphia was “the decision he made to try and win the title.”
In addition to Cleveland, reports also indicated that LeBron was seriously considering signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but ultimately decided against it because his “knees couldn’t handle the cold,” according to franchise star Anthony Edwards.
LeBron and the 76ers will open their 2026/27 season on the road at Madison Square Garden against the defending champion New York Knicks.