Rich Paul Reveals LeBron James Landing Spot He Predicted Prior to 76ers Contract in NBA Free Agency

LeBron James is heading to Philadelphia after signing with the 76ers in free agency.

His agent, Rich Paul, had more information than anyone on James' decision, and he initially expected the four-time MVP to pick the Miami Heat.

"He said, for a lot of the time, he thought that it was going to end up being Miami," ESPN's Ramona Shelburne said on NBA Today. "That seemed to be a nice fit. But he said when you've been to a place before, when you've won in a place before, if you go back it may not be the same. You kind of want to leave those memories where they were."

Had James returned to Miami, he could have teamed up with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, but as Paul said, signing elsewhere gives him a chance to leave the past behind and make new memories.

The thought process was likely the same regarding the Cleveland Cavaliers. Obviously, returning home would have made for a storybook ending for James, but he instead chose to join a new franchise and potentially win his fifth ring.