LeBron James isn’t done breaking records, but this time it isn’t about scoring points. Instead, he will setting a financial record by taking an shockingly low salary with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2026-27 season.
The $8 million James will make over the next two years in Philly automatically marks the biggest pay cut in NBA history, according to a report by Frank Urbina for HoopsHype. It is a massive drop compared to what he was making with the Lakers.
His decision didn’t come without backlash, though. Charles Barkley criticized the move, maintaining that James still falls short of his GOAT standards unless he actually delivers a championship ring to Philadelphia.
James’s massive pay cut to play in Philly
To anyone not used to making millions in the NBA, the sheer amount James surrendered is staggering: he took $48.75 million less than what he made with the Lakers, a monumental pay cut. But a player like LeBron won’t feel much financial pressure, considering his net worth sits well above $1 billion.
LeBron James looks on.
James’s salary in Philly will sit at just $3.88 million per year, more than enough for him to live comfortably in the city while playing alongside a stacked roster with the 76ers. That superteam dynamic drew harsh criticism from former teammate Danny Green, who called out James’s habit of joining “packed teams.”
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The lowest salary of James’s career
This contract marks the lowest salary of LeBron’s professional career since his 2003 rookie season, when he made $4.01 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the final year of his Philadelphia deal, he’ll earn $4 million to round out the roughly $8 million package he signed for.
