After making pitches and waiting patiently over the past two weeks, the Philadelphia 76ers hoped they could get an answer from LeBron James on Thursday, July 16.
With Fanatics Fest allowing LeBron James to tape an episode of his podcast 'Mind The Game,' with Tyrese Haliburton, the date has been circled on Sixers fans' calendars for quite some time now.
As the superstar forward's decision continues to drag out, it seemed logical to assume that James could potentially use the platform to reveal his next destination. It's the perfect way to get publicity for the show.
Haliburton played the moment up by sending out a cryptic tweet on Wednesday night. He stated: "Tomorrow it's time," while tagging James. The post on X generated nearly eight million views. To Haliburton's credit, he tried.
In the opening moments of the show, Haliburton tested the waters and tried to get LeBron to reveal his move. According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, James rejected the free agency-related question.
Tyrese Haliburton attempted to ask LeBron James about his decision early on in the program and James did not bite, saying “didn’t we already talk about this in the back.” Haliburton acquiesced and said, “I’ll leave it alone.”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 16, 2026
James would later mention the Sixers, along with a group of interested teams in a brief decision-related discussion, but the show ended without any clarity.
What does LeBron James bring to the table at this point?
In December, LeBron James will be 42. He won't be the oldest player in NBA history, but he's certainly proving to be on an entirely different level than those who reached their low-to-mid-40s before him.
During the 2025-2026 NBA season, LeBron tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in becoming the oldest All-Star at 41. Many might argue that LeBron got in by default. Perhaps that was the case, but you can't really debate that his numbers weren't All-Star-caliber.
In 60 games, James shot 51.5% from the field. He produced 20.9 points per game, along with 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists. He was still a star scorer, one of the better passing forwards in the game, and still a willing defender.
When the playoffs came around, LeBron was tasked to become the focal point of the team. Luka Doncic missed the entire 10-game run. Austin Reaves missed a chunk. Seeing the court for 38.4 minutes per game, James shot 45.9% from the field, producing 23.2 points per game. He also came down with 6.7 rebounds, and dished out 7.3 assists per game.
The superstar forward's production held up, as he led the Lakers to an unlikely first-round win after many considered LA to be massive underdogs. It was a great run before LeBron made the shocking decision to tell the Lakers to move on without him. As he became an NBA free agent, James wanted a fresh start.
Entering the open market, LeBron wasn't chasing the money. Knowing he would take his time, the 23-year NBA veteran would be willing to play out the 2026-2027 NBA season on a minimum contract. To the Sixers, the thought of adding him to their talented starting five on the cheapest salary possible was too intriguing to pass up.
The Sixers are still in the hunt, and the chase lives on.
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