LeBron James denies a 76ers hint after ‘trust the process’ comment

LeBron James did not announce his next team at Fanatics Fest on Thursday, but he sure stirred the pot.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is a free agent and has said he will play in an unprecedented 24th NBA season, but it remains to be seen where he will go.

Common teams in the speculated fray have been the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Philadelphia 76ers. But during a live taping of his “Mind the Game” podcast with Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton at the event, James uttered a three-word phrase that has often been linked to the latter squad.

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LeBron James speaks onstage during The Shop Live panel at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center in New York City on July 17, 2026. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Fanatics)

“I want to join a franchise that kind of shares the same model myself of practicing championship habits every day, but trusting the process more than anything,” James said. “You trust the process of actually-“

James was then cut off by the fans oohing and aahing, as “trust the process” has been the Sixers’ de facto motto for over a decade.

“Hold on, hold on, hold on,” Tyrese Haliburton butted in.

James, though, was adamant that it was not an Easter egg.

LeBron James speaks onstage during the Mind the Game panel at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center in New York City on July 16, 2026. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Fanatics)

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“I’ve been saying to ‘trust the process’ since I was drafted in 2003, even before [Joel] Embiid was born,” James clapped back.

James told the fans that he “won’t hold you guys up much longer.”

“It’s a big decision for not only myself, but for my family as well. It’s not just about the team,” James insisted, adding a joke that his own son, Bronny, is now a former teammate.

“There’s so many other factors that I’m factoring in right now on what best fits me as a player, what best fits me as a person, and what best fits my happiness, and also my family as well.”

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James stands on the court in the closing minutes of Game 4 of a second-round NBA playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, May 11, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

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James, 41, averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season, helping the Lakers win a playoff series while Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were nursing injuries.

OutKick’s Alejandro Avila contributed to this report.

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