With LeBron James set to officially begin his tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers, the star’s exit from the Los Angeles Lakers has received increased scrutiny. Since cutting ties with the Lakers, James appears to be using New York City as a home base, which is not entirely odd given its proximity to Philly.
The part that is turning heads is that James is using a helicopter provided as part of his endorsement deal with Fanatics. Michael Rubin is the brand’s founder and previously had an ownership stake in the Sixers.
The connection has caught the attention of investigative reporter Pablo Torre. It is also worth noting that James announced his decision to sign with the 76ers via Topps, a trading card company owned by Fanatics.
“This is raising questions… around Fanatics and the contract LeBron signed,” Torre explained in an October 15, 2026, episode of “Pablo Torre Finds Out.” “He shocked the league, all of us you will recall, by signing a two-year, $8 million contract with the Sixers.
“… His salary this year is just $3.88 million, aka the veteran minimum, after a month of just will he or won’t he? He was making $52.6 million with the Lakers last year. That’s about a 93% pay cut.”
LeBron James’ Deal With Fanatics Is Under Scrutiny Amid Move From Lakers to 76ers
James was on a two-year, $101 million contract with the Lakers prior to entering NBA free agency. James signed a two-year, $7.9 million deal to join the 76ers.
To recap, James took a massive pay cut, announced the news on a platform owned by a former Sixers owner and is now using the Fanatics helicopter to commute from New York City to Philadelphia.
It could all be pure coincidental but all the different connections are catching the attention of some NBA fans. According to Torre, Rubin also changed the helicopter tail number to include the No. 6, James’ jersey number.
The date of this change just so happened to be the same day that James appeared at Fanatics Fest in New York City. This was weeks before James announced a free agency decision.
While With the Lakers, LeBron James Signed a Deal With Fanatics in 2024
What Torre appears to be investigating (without any substantial findings as of yet), is whether James could have signed a lucrative deal with Fanatics as part of his agreement to join the 76ers.
The challenge of this theory is that James inked a deal with Fanatics in 2024, per Front Office Sports. A spokesperson for James explained the agreement to Front Office Sports.
“The deal we signed with Fanatics almost three years ago includes access to their corporate aviation,” the person detailed to Front Office Sports.
“It’s a feature in many of their deals with their largest athletes and we appreciate their partnership as LeBron splits his time between New York and Philadelphia.”
The Fanatics Helicopter Made 12 Round-Trip Commutes From New York City to Philadelphia in 1 Week: Report
James already appears to be putting this deal to good use. The same Fanatics helicopter has made at least 12 round-trip commutes from New York City to Philadelphia in one recent week, per Front Office Sports.
“Flight records show the Fanatics helicopter James has used made a dozen round-trips between Philadelphia and New York in the past week,” Front Office Sports’ Colin Salao and Daniel Roberts noted in an October 5, story titled, “LeBron’s Fanatics Deal Includes Helicopter Use.”
“A one-way trip normally takes about 30 minutes, cutting what is normally about a 90-minute to two-hour drive.”
LeBron James Under Fire as Conspiracy Theory Emerges on Bolting Lakers for 76ers