Winning the LeBron James bidding war naturally comes with a lot of perks, and the Philadelphia 76ers seem to be already raking in the rewards for next season. After signing the superstar, the team is expected to be on deck for 34 games on national TV for the 2026-27 campaign, the maximum number of nationwide appearances that are actually allowed under the NBA's current rights deal.
The league is definitely keeping a close eye on what many believe to be LeBron's final year next season. While his contract is good for two years, the superstar has a player option on the second year, meaning that there is no guarantee that he will finish out his new deal with the 76ers. As such, it only makes sense that the league is going all-in for James' possibly final hurrah.
The 76ers will be a hot commodity on national TV next season after winning the LeBron James bidding war
Last season, the 76ers had just 14 national TV games to their name. While they boasted one of the league's most star-studded cores, the team was coming off a lost season where they failed to even qualify for the postseason, with injuries depleting their key players. That high degree of uncertainty was the driving force behind the league opting to showcase other teams more.
But with LeBron now in Philly, the 76ers are not only going to be one of the favorites to win the title –– they will also be one of the must-watch teams on national television. After all, James will only bolster a revamped core that already features other All-Star players in Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey.
The Knicks and the Spurs, the finalists from last season, will also get a huge chunk of national TV games. So do big markets such as the Lakers, Celtics, and the Heat. But the 76ers have arguably the most compelling storyline next season due to the LeBron factor and the franchise's desperation to snap their championship drought in the Embiid era.
For now, expectations are going to be tremendously high for the 76ers, for better or for worse. The 2026-27 campaign will basically be a title-or-bust season for the franchise, and having James in the fold will only add to the pressure.
Still, the 76ers dreamed of this situation. The ball is now on their court to prove to everyone that they are just as good as advertised on paper with the addition of the best basketball player to walk on the planet, in LeBron James.
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