76ers sign ex-Knicks $5M 2-time NBA champion to potentially team with LeBron James, Jaylen Brown

76ers sign ex-Knicks $5M 2-time NBA champion to potentially team with LeBron James, Jaylen Brown originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Philadelphia 76ers have struck gold this offseason, as they have quickly become one of the favorites to win the NBA championship. No one expected the offseason to go this way for Philadelphia after the team was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs last season.

However, it all started with a surprising move for Jaylen Brown. Brown’s relationship with the Boston Celtics had reached a breaking point, allowing the 76ers to acquire the former NBA Finals MVP.

“Jaylen Brown has a new home, as the Boston Celtics agreed to send the former NBA Finals MVP to the Philadelphia 76ers in a blockbuster trade Wednesday, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania. The 76ers are sending Paul George, two first-round picks (2028, 2031) and two second-round selections (2028, 2030) to Boston to complete the deal, sources said,” ESPN wrote.

The trade would then get the attention of four-time NBA champion LeBron James. The former MVP ultimately signed with Philadelphia, giving the 76ers another superstar to add to their championship-caliber roster.

“LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers for his final run at another NBA championship, he announced Friday,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote. “James, 41, is signing a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul told ESPN’s Shams Charania.”

The organization has also been making some smaller moves by signing players to Exhibit 10 contracts. On Tuesday, Philadelphia signed back-to-back NBA champion Dillon Jones to an Exhibit 10 contract.

“Back-to-back champ Dillon Jones signed with the 76ers to an Exhibit 10 contract, a team source told ESPN. He’ll be a part of Philly’s training camp later this month,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote.

Jones was selected in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards before his draft rights were sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He spent his rookie season with the Thunder and later joined the New York Knicks on a two-way contract.

Jones has already won two NBA championships in his young career, doing so with the Thunder and Knicks in consecutive seasons. Now, he has another opportunity to join a championship contender in Philadelphia. If Jones can earn a two-way contract with the 76ers, he would legitimately have a chance to become an NBA champion in three consecutive seasons.

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