Sixers

People Will Say the Sixers are Cheating Even if You Give Them Undeniable Proof that the LeBron James Helicopter Situation is 100% Legitimate

By Matt Schultz

Published: Oct 7th, 2026 · 8:30 AM EDT

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I’ve already written about LeBron and his helicopter a bunch on this website, and somehow it’s looking like the story is only just getting started.

TMZ reported on Monday that the helicopters LeBron has been taking from NYC to Philly and back are chartered by Fanatics free of charge, courtesy of CEO and former Sixers part-owner Michael Rubin. LeBron signed a partnership deal with Fanatics back in 2024, and sources say the deal includes unlimited access to the company’s corporate aviation. 

A ton of people online are taking issue with that setup.

They argue that with this deal – which will reportedly save LeBron close to a million dollars in charter fees this season alone – he and the Sixers are cheating by circumventing the salary cap, the very thing that Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers just got slammed for.

Barstool’s Dave Portnoy put it pretty plainly here:

I love Philly. If I’m choosing between living in Philly or NYC I’m choosing Philly every time #DDTG https://t.co/kJ46UGwruh

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) October 6, 2026

0:27: “Now, LeBron likes New York more than Philly. That’s just how it is. He’s afraid – afraid’s not the right word. He don’t wanna live in Philly. He lives in New York. He basically took that contract cause (Michael) Rubin is doing a side deal with him, and he flies in and out. It’s illegal. It’s basically what Kawhi did. Um. But the NBA won’t look into LeBron.”

And folks all over Twitter echoed pretty much the same sentiment:

Michael Rubin paying LeBron under the table same way Ballmer did for Kawhi https://t.co/1ohRIKreVK pic.twitter.com/miF5CwR9W7

— RozierHater (@RozierHater) October 6, 2026

It’s not the clippers so no punishment

— clippa twitta (@clipfullyloaded) October 5, 2026

Sounds like the same shit Kawhi did but no cares because it’s LeBron

— RyDawgg8008Z (@Rydawgg8008) October 5, 2026

Balmer: https://t.co/i09tJgOlF5 pic.twitter.com/R87SnRc9Tu

— Rod (@rodimusprime) October 5, 2026

Now, I’ve given this situation some real thought this afternoon, and I’ve arrived at three general conclusions on the whole thing.

1) I don’t know if this is cheating or not.

I’m not a cap-rules-expert guy. I don’t know what’s allowed or not.

What I do know is that pro-Sixers/LeBron people online are arguing this is all above board because LeBron signed the Fanatics deal years before he signed with the Sixers. That being the case, this couldn’t have been the Sixers actively circumventing the cap; LeBron would have access to the Fanatics helicopter no matter which team he chose in free agency. (Kinkead: if LeBron signed with the Knicks he could have taken the Fanatics chopper to Rubin’s white party)

They also argue the Kawhi comparison falls flat because LeBron actually does stuff for Fanatics (he’s done live podcasts at Fanatics Fest, he partnered with Fanatics-owned Topps to make his FA announcement, Fanatics gets exclusive rights to sell certain LeBron merch via the deal, etc.), whereas Kawhi never did a thing for Aspiration or any of the other companies that were paying him millions of dollars.

Both of those arguments make sense to me. I accept this. Sounds reasonable.

But would I completely ignore that reasoning if I rooted for a different team? Of course. Which leads me to the next point:

2) Even if it’s not cheating, everyone’s going to think it is, anyway.

LeBron chose the Sixers, and every non-Sixers fan in the world is mad about it. The Sixers got off the Paul George contract and somehow landed Jaylen Brown, and every non-Sixers fan in the world is mad about it. The Sixers have the most talented roster in the league, and every non-Sixers fan in the world is mad about it. This is just what it’s going to be. They’re the team to hate. We should all get used to it.

3) I don’t care if it is indeed cheating.

If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying. Who cares. All these guys are rich, none of it’s my money, everyone’s always cheating anyway, etc., etc., etc. I have a very simple agenda in all of this: I want the Sixers to win. I don’t care how. Give LeBron even more helicopters. Go Sixers.