The final LeBron James sweepstakes (as far as we know) is finally done, as he has chosen to join the Philadelphia 76ers as his last stop(?), which he confirmed himself. The Utah Jazz knew LeBron wasn't joining them, as they were likely grateful for his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers. However, his going to the City of Brotherly Love was actually the best outcome the Jazz could have hoped for.
BREAKING: LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option, Klutch Sports Group and Klutch CEO and Game Over show host Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ALOlTkgdAV
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 24, 2026
LeBron going back East means he won't be a threat to the Jazz's playoff aspirations. That doesn't change the fact that the West will still be a bloodbath, but with him out of LA, the Lakers aren't as much of a threat despite adding Walker Kessler.
That also applies to Golden State, who wanted him as well. They wanted to do a "Last Dance" kind of title run with James, but now that they didn't get him, they're left scrambling. Same goes for Minnesota, but more on them later.
James is not the best player in the NBA anymore, but he still is a highly impactful one. The fact that Utah won't have to deal with him in the West for seemingly the rest of his career is a big W for them.
The Jazz's draft assets remain just as valuable as well
LeBron choosing Philadelphia also means the draft assets the Jazz are owed are still as good. James' departure keyed the Kessler trade yes, but Utah still has assets left remaining from Minnesota and Cleveland that could have been badly affected had he picked to go there.
Both of those teams will likely still be really good, but James signing there for the chump change he just did with Philadelphia could have been trouble. Utah is no longer depending on draft assets to build their team, but having them still be somewhat valuable could go a long way in helping add some immediate upgrades going forward.
We already saw them capitalize on that the best way they possibly coudl by getting their hands on Jaren Jackson Jr., and after a trade like this, they can make yet another splash like that if they so choose.
The irony is, James going to the Sixers changes a lot across the board in the NBA, as it vaults them to unquestionable title contenders, leaving plenty of teams scrambling, and that's not just the ones that he snubbed from his decision.
However, the Jazz have every right to shrug at this situation and say, "Not my problem."
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