LeBron James is trusting The Process. After speculation that "The King" was going to rejoin one of his former teams in the Miami Heat or Cleveland Cavaliers, James is indeed heading back to the Eastern Conference -- instead joining the Philadelphia 76ers.
Per ESPN's Shams Charania, James is signign with the 76ers on a two-year, $8 million deal with an option for a third season. He joins a talented roster that features former MVP Joel Embiid, youngster V.J. Edgecombe and All-Star Tyrese Maxey, and one that recently traded for former Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
James to Philadelphia has certainly shaken up the NBA world, and it's also shaken up markets at Polymarket. Here's what popular NBA trading markets now look like at Polymarket after the news that James is heading to Philly.
NBA 2026-27 title predictions (via Polymarket)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (23%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (18%)
- New York Knicks (16%)
- Denver Nuggets (16%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (16%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (14%)
- San Antonio Spurs (14%)
The 76ers now find themselves as one of the top contenders in the NBA this year with James joining the mix. The East was wide open last year with Detroit getting the No. 1 seed and New York storming through the conference en route to an NBA Finals victory over San Antonio, and the 76ers currently are tied for the third-highest percentage to win the NBA Finals and the best percentage of all Eastern Conference teams, tied with the Knicks.
The 76ers' anticipated starting lineup has plenty of firepower now with two former MVPs and four All-Stars, but health will be a major factor, primarily for the 41-year-old James and Embiid, who has repeatedly dealt with injuries throughout his career. If Philadelphia is healthy, though, it should be a top contender in the East alongside New York and teams like Boston and a new-look Miami team featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo.
And as to be expected, Oklahoma City is the early favorite to win its second title in three years.
NBA 2026-27 East winner predictions (via Polymarket)
- Philadelphia 76ers (26%)
- New York Knicks (25%)
- Indiana Pacers (19%)
- Toronto Raptors (16%)
- Detroit Pistons (12%)
- Boston Celtics (11%)
- Miami Heat (10%)
It's now the 76ers who are seen as the top dogs in the Eastern Conference -- not the reigning champs. Even at 41 years old, James moves the needle and is among the best players in the game. New York had a postseason for the ages in the Knicks' first title run since 1973, and they'll enter this season with plenty of buzz. But James to the 76ers gives Philly potentially the best starting lineup the league has to offer.
Toronto will be a team worth monitoring all offseason long as we await whether or not Kawhi Leonard will join the team, and Indiana should be healthy and contending after a down year with Tyrese Haliburton returning from serious injury. It will also be interesting to see how Boston looks with Paul George in for Brown after that massive trade from a few weeks ago.
For now, at least, it looks like Philadelphia and New York are the two clear top teams in the East, with The King's presence certainly shaking things up at this stage of the summer.
