LeBron James has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers for his milestone 24th year in the league; however, it has been reported that he was rejected by a major NBA name after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers.
New York Knicks, who secured their first championship in 53 years, are not looking to make any major changes to their roster for the 2026-27 season, leading to the team denying LeBron a chance.
It was reported that the four-time NBA champion's camp reached out to the Knicks to express their interest but without a positive response.
According to Sam Amico, "Sources tell Hoops Wire that James' camp reached out to New York at one point during his free agency, but the Knicks weren't interested in pursuing him.
"The reasoning was fairly straightforward. New York likes what it already has," he added.
"The Knicks are coming off an NBA championship and remain built around Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart," Sam added.
The report noted, "They saw no reason to make a major alteration to that formula, even for James. In fact, sources said the Knicks believe they remain better than the 76ers, despite Philadelphia’s headline-grabbing offseason. That’s certainly a more interesting debate now."
LeBron James signs with the Philadelphia 76ers
On July 24, LeBron made his "last decision" to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent.
Turning to X, the 41-year-old posted a statement, reading, "I thought I was done when the season ended."
However, he added that he has "more to give" to the game, adding, "I've had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out."
James shared that the decision was not influenced by money or family but his desire to win another championship.
The NBA star is the National Basketball Association’s all-time leading scorer, a four-time champion and a four-time Olympic medallist. He has played for several teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
