LeBron James signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers that sent shockwaves throughout the league, but many expect him to only suit up for one campaign for the franchise. After all, many are anticipating that the 2026-27 campaign will be his final one, although there has been no confirmation of that being true just yet. Fortunately for them, the team will be able to see if they can keep him for a second season by reading into his plans for the 2028 Olympics.
As first reported by ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Team USA will be giving the megastar a roster spot if he intends to play in the 2028 Games, which will be hosted by Los Angeles. That would give him five appearances in the Summer Olympics, which will be the most for any player for the nation in the men's division.
LeBron James playing in the 2028 Olympics could be good news for the 76ers
Well, the timing could not get any better as some sort of benchmark to see if LeBron also intends to keep playing in the NBA. And given that he had already established that choosing Philly as his next landing spot was going to be his final decision, that means that if he intends to play in the 2028 Olympics, he would have already exhausted his second season with the 76ers.
Obviously, that is very good news for the 76ers. They have pretty lofty ambitions for their championship bid next season for all the right reasons, and by having LeBron on deck for another campaign for the 2027-28 circuit, they could be in play for a strong bounce-back season or a possible title defense.
LeBron will be 43 years old at the time of the Olympics, but he is still arguably the face of Team USA basketball, assuming he is still active. The 2028 bunch is expected to be littered with new and younger faces, facing a tougher challenge as they take on more experienced squads from various countries.
If he joins the group, James will be heavily counted on as the voice of reason for his team. He might not be the first or second option anymore, but he will surely have a major role on the squad with his ample experience playing international basketball.
Anyhow, the 76ers should be on the lookout for The King's plans for the 2028 Summer Olympics. After all, it offers a major hint at a possible extension of his otherwise short tenure with the franchise.
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