New Delhi, July 29 -- PHILADELPHIA - LeBron James spent twenty-four days as the most heavily recruited free agent in basketball history, then chose the city that once embodied the very opposite of winning.

He signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on July 26, agreeing to a two-year deal worth nearly $8 million that includes a player option and a 15 percent trade kicker. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey have their third star. The Eastern Conference has its most formidable lineup on paper. And James, now 41, has his clearest path to a fifth championship ring.

The simplest explanation for why he picked Philadelphia is also the most accurate one. The Golden State Warriors offered geography: James could theoretically commute from Los Angeles, travel...