Shaquille O’Neal shares his honest thoughts on LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers
Shaquille O’Neal has come out to support LeBron James after LeBron decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. LeBron became a free agent after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers in June, ending an eight-year run with the team.
It was clear right away that LeBron wasn’t ready to retire. Instead, he wanted to keep playing in the NBA for his 24th season. Many teams showed interest, and LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, talked to several clubs.
In the end, LeBron chose to sign a two-year deal with the 76ers, aiming to win a fifth NBA championship. He last won a title in 2020 and said he wanted to join a team that shares his “championship habits every day” mindset.
Some people criticized LeBron for still chasing another ring at the age of 41. But Shaq, who has the same number of rings and played with LeBron on the Cavaliers, sees no problem with his move. Shaq said he would do the exact same thing if he were in LeBron’s shoes.
On SiriusXM NBA Radio, the 54-year-old said, “I don’t blame him for trying to get with a team where he can get another championship. People call it ring chasing, I call it ring continuance. He already has four rings. It’s funny how people without rings say ‘he’s ring chasing.’ You always want to put yourself in a position to win. He’s done it his way. Now that he’s near the end, why not join a team that can help him get one or two more? I would do it too.”
LeBron made at least $52.6 million last season with the Lakers, where he played alongside his son Bronny. But his new contract with the 76ers is much smaller. He’s taken the biggest pay cut in NBA history to have a shot at winning another championship.
LeBron signed a two-year contract that’s basically a veteran’s minimum deal, earning about $3.9 million per year. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the second year includes a player option, meaning LeBron could retire or become a free agent again after that.
The deal also has a 15% trade kicker, which means LeBron gets a portion of his salary if he’s traded. Since he hasn’t played four seasons with the 76ers, he doesn’t have a no-trade clause, so this helps protect him. If the Sixers trade him, they’d have to pay him some money—but since his salary is smaller now, that amount wouldn’t be too large.