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NEED TO KNOW
- LeBron James announced he is leaving the Lakers to join the Philadelphia 76ers after weeks of speculation
- Steph Curry expressed understanding of James’ decision and previously said he was open to playing with him
- James revealed he needed time to decide his next steps but confirmed his love for the game remains strong
Steph Curry has shared his candid reaction to LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers.
After weeks of speculation about where he would head after announcing that he was leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons James, 41, shocked fans when he announced that he was heading to Philadelphia.
Curry, 38, who previously expressed that he was open to playing with James on the Golden State Warriors, said he understood his decision.
“That’s why you don’t envision anything until it happens,” he told The Athletic on Saturday, July 25. “There’s a lot of moving parts.”
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James’ agent, Rich Paul, confirmed to ESPN that he would not be returning to the Lakers during his first day of free agency on June 30.
“LeBron James will continue his NBA career for the 2026-27 season and has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN,” Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania posted on X.
James played eight seasons with the Lakers, two of which were with his son, Bronny.
While playing in the ACC Golf Championship on July 8, Curry weighed in on the possibility of playing with James.
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“I’m sure we would obviously love to play together,” he said. “Hopefully it happens. But he’s deserved the opportunity and the right to take his time with the decision.”
James confirmed he needed some time to decide on his next steps while confirming his move to the 76ers on X on Friday, July 24.
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“I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn’t ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game,” he said. “I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and deicide [sic] if I still love this game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give.”
Read the original article on People