What happened: James will join Philadelphia on a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option. Los Angeles had already shifted its long-term focus with the Luka Dončić trade.

Why it matters: The split ends the longest single-franchise stay of James' career and removes a conflict between his late-career timeline and the Lakers' younger core. Bill Plaschke and Fred Roggin have argued that he will rank below Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and Magic Johnson in Lakers history.

What to watch: Training camp will clarify how the Lakers build around Dončić and distribute James' former role.