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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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It's a new era for LeBron James, as he'll suit up for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2026 and attempt to win his fifth NBA championship with his fourth career team.
As soon as news arrived that James chose the 76ers on a two-year deal, excitement erupted in Philly over the 76ers' chances of finally contending for a championship after many seasons of struggling to advance deep into the playoffs..
And not only are fans excited about the signing, but so are James's newest teammates, including guard Anfernee Simons, who shared his reaction with NBA legends Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter on their podcast.
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"Obviously, you see everything going on with the media and stuff," Simons said regarding the speculation before James decided on Philly. "For me, I gotta see it to believe it."
"I might've been working out, or actually I just woke up. I just woke up, and I saw the news, and I was like, 'Dang. This is crazy,'" he said.
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Carter and T-Mac also marveled at how James, at 41, is still impacting the NBA in the way he is, including putting commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA schedule release on hold.
"It was understood. Like, 'We're not putting the schedule out until he makes his decision.' Obviously, where he goes is a huge draw; I get it. But like you say, this is different. Like this team now is different,'" Carter said.
A lot has been made about the new-look 76ers starting lineup, which now slots in James alongside fellow All-Stars Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid in the frontcourt, while All-Star Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe will be in the backcourt.
However, not as much is being made of the 76ers' bench. Simons will be a key reserve for the team next season, bringing his averages of 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game to the court.
In addition, bench players include veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, rookie Labaron Philan Jr., and Dean Wade backing up James. That said, it's clear the starting lineup is what is the most intriguing aspect of this team, but it still remains to be seen how well they play together in just their first season and if the depth is an issue.
Much like James, Simons is now playing for the fourth team of his career, but Simons is still searching for his first ring. While Simons was briefly a member of the Boston Celtics last season, he'll now have both Brown and James as teammates, which certainly gives him a much stronger chance than ever before.
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