National Basketball Legend (NBA) legend LeBron James has officially returned to the press conference, having confirmed on July 24, Friday that he is joining the Philadelphia 76ers to mark his return for a record-extending 24th season.
Enjoying an avid fan following and being the all-time points-getter in the league, fans are inevitably keen on knowing when will James make his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers.
When will LeBron James make his debut for Philadelphia 76ers?
The 41-year-old legendary athlete could well make his first appearance in a 76ers uniform against the Boston Celtics, with Philadelphia slated to play a couple of preseason games scheduled against the opposition. The 76ers’ first pre-season game against the Boston Celtics is slated to take place on October 10, Saturday, while the Celtics will travel to Philadelphia to play a fixture on October 16, Friday. James had notably been part of the Eastern Conference for 15 years, plying his trade for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, before spending eight years in the Western Conference with the Los Angeles Lakers. Hence, he created a handful of key rivals, including the Celtics.
It’s also worth noting that the veteran athlete had not participated in any of the pre-season games for the Lakers last season but did feature in some of the matches against his son Bronny James. There is still no confirmation about whether or not James will play in the pre-season and might make his 76ers’ debut in the regular season opener. Thus, the opponent for the 76ers has not yet been unveiled.
Why did LeBron James leave Los Angeles Lakers?
According to a report by ESPN, James’ decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers stemmed from not wanting to take a pay cutfrom the $52.6 million salary he made last season if the Lakers had explained how they planned to reallocate that money. Reportedly, the franchise never revealed how they plan to use the cap space; hence, the veteran athlete never rendered himself available to meet the team.
While the Lakers reached out to James’ agent Rich Paul, the legendary basketball player seems to have already made up his mind. Lakers will have a new-look roster for the upcoming season, with Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes leaving alongside LeBron James.