Леброн Жэймсийн карьерын томоохон шийдвэрүүд

Decisions, decisions! You could argue that no player in NBA history has made more impactful ones than LeBron James, at least when it comes to free agency. LeBron has now had four major decisions in his career, and they’ve all sent sizable ripples through the league.

With James deciding to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers and join forces with Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey, we think this is the final chapter and team of his historic journey. But assuming this is it for now, let’s rank LeBron’s four major free-agency decisions and discuss their place in history.

1. Back to Cleveland in 2014 (Decision No. 2)

This has to be the biggest one, right? Yes, the first decision definitely made more waves, but this was the best chapter of his story.

James scorned his home area of Northeast Ohio, with Akron and Cleveland as his only homes, to that point. He left for the glitz and glamour of Miami, a complete 180 from Ohio. They had to watch him win championships with his new team, and the Cavs weren’t much closer to competing four years after LeBron left than when he departed. The proclamation of not one, “not two, not three, not four …” was only partially fulfilled, and it was just assumed that James would remain in Miami with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade for a long time winning titles.

All of a sudden, at the end of the Miami run, things started to fray, and it was no longer a certainty that James would keep his talents in South Beach. In 2014, Twitter was rife with sleuths tracking planes and spilling information they heard from third cousin’s friends who knew a guy that knew a guy who heard from their barista about LeBron coming back. The collective sports-watching world became internet stalkers.

Then James had the iconic Sports Illustrated cover with the “I’m Coming Home” title. It became a meme — and a new hope for Cleveland.

James was set to join Kyrie Irving, and then the Cavs traded for Kevin Love, moving No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins. This signing was all about catharsis, making amends and righting what so many people felt was a wrong back in 2010. Whether or not that was correct, that was the big feeling. James had promised Cleveland and Cavs fans a championship and left before completing that.

The 2016 championship and the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history helped boost this to the top. The Cavs forgave, and James delivered.

• Anticipation:10/10
• Shock value: 10/10
• Level of contender joining: 8/10
• Supporting cast: 9/10 (with Love’s acquisition)
• Delivery: 10/10
• Final score: 47/50

2. Taking his talents to South Beach in 2010 (Decision No. 1)

“The Decision” may still be the biggest decision of LeBron’s career for many basketball fans. It’s hard to fault them for feeling this way. The spectacle of it all was as trailblazing as it was hated. James sitting down at the Boys & Girls Club of America in Connecticut as Jim Gray sat across from him was supposed to be inspiring. It was supposed to focus on what James was doing with the next stage of his career, while also raising a tremendous amount of money for a good cause. The whole thing was being followed by everybody in the sports world, dying to know which team James would choose on a live broadcast on ESPN.

Miami, Cleveland, Chicago, New York and even New Jersey were all big-time bidders. Sure, they could only offer up the max contract at the time, but everything pitched to LeBron was about where he could win championships and how he could further his legacy. Cleveland pitched staying home and finishing the job of winning a title. Chicago pitched coming to the organization where Michael Jordan won.

New York pitched coming to Madison Square Garden and bringing the Knicks back to championship status. Miami pitched teaming up with his good friend Wade to form the best duo in the league. And New Jersey? Well, the Nets had a Russian billionaire just trying to make massive moves.

When James delivered the infamous “I’m going to take my talents to South Beach” line, the internet and sports world exploded with vitriol. He immediately went from most sought-after free agent ever to the scourge of the NBA (outside of Miami). Jerseys were burned. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert wrote a ridiculous letter in Comic Sans and posted it on the team website until James came back in 2014.

So many people said he was taking the easy way out. But James was trusting Pat Riley, Wade and Bosh to get him the championships he needed to truly jump-start his legacy. It’s one of the biggest moments in sports history, and it seemed to thrust player empowerment into a mutating form.

But James did what he felt was best. And two titles later, the rest is history.

• Anticipation: 10/10
• Shock value: 10/10
• Level of contender joining: 10/10
• Supporting cast: 8/10
• Delivery: 8/10
• Final score: 46/50

3. LeBron heads to Philly in 2026 (Decision No. 4)

First and foremost, the risk of tying your final chapter(?) to Joel Embiid’s health in the postseason might be the biggest heat check James has ever taken. Never knowing whether Embiid can give what’s needed in the playoffs is going to leave a lot of questions about this decision.

With that said, the Sixers desperately need a power forward for this group, and James was easily the best fit. Maxey and Brown can playmake, even though they’re primarily scorers. James, however, is one of the best playmakers in history. He’ll be there to tie things together the best he can, all while going back to the East to challenge the Knicks for top billing in the conference. This is a big-time risk, but the positives outweigh the questions for James’ decision.

James made us wait more than three weeks for this decision, keeping free-agency buzz somewhat going after the frenzy of the first few days. Maybe this will be the last time James has us all waiting to learn his next employer, or maybe we’ll do this again down the road. If anybody can keep extending this, it’s LeBron.

• Anticipation: 8/10
• Shock value: 6/10
• Level of contender joining: 8/10
• Supporting cast: 8/10
• Delivery: 7/10
• Final score: 37/50

4. Going Hollywood in 2018 (Decision No. 3)

This decision had so little fanfare and anticipation. Irving had sought out his own team a year earlier, finding his way to Boston as he rode the trade winds with the writing on the wall. Everybody knew James was leaving Cleveland for a second time. And everybody seemed to know the choice was going to be moving to Los Angeles to play for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant retired two years earlier, and the Lakers were in desperate need of a real star. They’d drafted potential stars, but this franchise wasn’t winning any games.

Meanwhile, James had plans for continuing to build a media empire. There was no better place to do that than the sunny skies of L.A. Almost immediately after free agency opened, the news was delivered: James was signing with the Lakers on a four-year deal. No magazine cover. No television special. It was just a matter-of-fact move for the next chapter in James’ career.

He’d spend eight years in L.A. — the longest continuous stretch with one team in his career. He won a championship with the Lakers in 2020. Anthony Davis joined him and then later was shipped to Dallas in the most surprising trade in NBA history, with Luka Dončić becoming a Laker.

This decision was expected, and it happened with very little drama. It was more about taking care of business and checking boxes than it was about putting on a spectacle.

• Anticipation: 3/10
• Shock value: 3/10
• Level of contender joining: 5/10
• Supporting cast: 5/10
• Delivery: 4/10
• Final score: 20/50