For the first time in eight years, LeBron James is preparing to play an NBA game without the Los Angeles Lakers across his chest.
The four-time NBA champion is reportedly set to make his Philadelphia 76ers preseason debut on Thursday, October 8, when his new team faces the Brooklyn Nets.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, multiple sources indicate that James will suit up against Brooklyn, with Sixers head coach Nick Nurse planning to play his entire projected starting lineup.
That includes Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe alongside the 41-year-old James.
The starters are expected to see limited action, potentially playing only the first half. Nevertheless, the game marks another milestone in James’ departure from Los Angeles, where he spent eight seasons and helped deliver the franchise’s 17th championship in 2020.
LeBron James Begins New Chapter After Leaving Lakers
James shocked the NBA in July when he announced he was joining Philadelphia on a two-year, $8 million contract that includes a player option.
The move ended a Lakers tenure that began in 2018 and included six All-NBA selections, seven All-Star appearances and a championship inside the NBA bubble.
It also separated James from his son, Bronny James, who remains with Los Angeles.
James framed the move to Philadelphia as his “Final Decision,” signaling what could be the last stop in his historic NBA career.
He also made a point of acknowledging the Lakers and their fans when announcing his departure.
“Thank you LA,” James wrote as part of his farewell message, which also recognized his former teams in Cleveland and Miami.
Now, nearly three months after his stunning free-agency decision, James is preparing to take the court for a team with its own championship aspirations.
Philadelphia assembled a star-studded roster during the offseason, adding Brown and James to a core already featuring Embiid, Maxey and Edgecombe.
Thursday would represent the first opportunity for that entire starting unit to play against another NBA team.
Lakers Move Forward Without LeBron James
James’ preseason debut also serves as a reminder of how dramatically the NBA landscape has changed since his departure from Los Angeles.
The Lakers have moved into a new era with Luka Doncic at the center of their long-term plans.
During James’ time in Los Angeles, the franchise built much of its offensive identity around his playmaking, scoring and ability to orchestrate possessions.
Philadelphia is now tasked with incorporating those same qualities into an offense featuring several other established scorers.
The Lakers, meanwhile, must establish an identity without the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
There is also a personal element to James’ departure.
Bronny James, who made NBA history by playing alongside his father in Los Angeles, remains with the Lakers after his father’s exit.
When asked about the move in August, Bronny offered a brief response.
“It’s whatever,” Bronny said. “It’s my dad.”
The younger James will continue developing his own NBA career in Los Angeles, while his father attempts to pursue a fifth championship in Philadelphia.
For Lakers fans who watched LeBron deliver a title and rewrite the NBA record books during his time with the franchise, Thursday’s game offers a first glimpse of what the final chapter of his career might look like.
This time, in a different uniform.
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