LeBron James debuts for the 76ers in Brooklyn at 41 — on a league-minimum deal

LeBron James pulled on a Philadelphia 76ers uniform for the first time Thursday night, taking the floor in an exhibition game against the Brooklyn Nets at age 41. The night carried little at stake but plenty of symbolism: it was the first look at the powerhouse lineup Philadelphia assembled over the summer, and the official beginning of what the 76ers expect to be the final stop of his NBA career.

James sat out Philadelphia's exhibition opener Monday against the New York Knicks, so Thursday's trip to Brooklyn doubled as his debut with the franchise. The 76ers rolled out a starting five that already looks built for June, with fellow All-Star newcomer Jaylen Brown joining holdovers Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Coach Nick Nurse kept expectations measured, saying he planned to play his starters about half the game.

For a preseason game, that was enough to make the night feel bigger than the box score. Philadelphia got its first on-court look at the new core together, even as the result counted for nothing in the standings.

A record 24th season at the league minimum

The appearance closed the book on James's eight-season run with the Los Angeles Lakers. This summer he signed a two-year deal with the 76ers for the league minimum, choosing to return for an NBA-record 24th season — a benchmark no player in league history has reached before him. The modest price tag was as notable as the name attached to it.

Even before the opening tip, the newcomer already looked like the leader of the room. James returned from a pregame workout and turned the music up loud as he kept getting ready, his blue 76ers uniform folded on the floor beside his chair.

Philadelphia's regular season opens Oct. 20 in New York, where the Knicks will raise a banner celebrating their NBA championship. If Thursday was only a preseason glimpse, it was still the first frame of the final chapter LeBron James is expected to write.