​Throughout this dragged-out process, LeBron James has said that winning — playing in meaningful games with an opportunity to chase a fifth ring — was his top priority. Friday he backed up those words.After taking nearly a month to make his decision, LeBron is signing a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN, who got the news from LeBron’s agent Rich Paul.LeBron joins a stacked East team featuring point guard Tyrese Maxey and just-acquired wing Jaylen Brown — both All-NBA players last season — as well as Joel Embiid, who showed last year during the playoffs against Boston he is still capable of taking over a series and winning it for his team. The team also has VJ Edgecombe at the two, power forward Dean Wade (who likely moves to a bench role now), plus depth in Anfernee Simons, Ariel Hukporti, and promising rookie Labaron Philon Jr.LeBron said from the start he was going to take his time with his decision and let major moves — like the trades of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown — take place first. When the dust settled a little, he would make his call. From the start, LeBron said this was not about money, it was about being competitive for a title and his happiness.That landed him in Philadelphia with a team that will join the Knicks as the early favorites to come out of the East. While LeBron is betting on Embiid’s knees to hold up in the playoffs, the depth of this roster with him on it makes the load Embiid needs to carry for the first 82 games that much lighter.In LeBron, the 76ers get a four-time champ and the league’s all-time leading scorer who is still playing at an All-Star level despite entering his record 24th NBA season at age 41. Last season with the Lakers he averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds a game, playing in 60 games.LeBron can’t take over a game (or a full playoff series) like he once did, but he can rise to that level for a stretch — a quarter, a half — and will a team to a win. He showed that in the playoffs, when the Lakers were without the injured Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves against Houston, and LeBron took on his familiar role as the primary scorer and shot creator, leading the Lakers to a series win.With this decision, expect a quick rush of other free agency moves — a lot of deals were held up waiting for LeBron to make his call. Cleveland, Philadelphia and Golden State all had moves on hold, plus players such as DeMar DeRozan and Jonathan Kuminga were waiting for this decision so that the rest of the market to shake out.Mike Gansey may have locked up Executive of the Year with this move. Gansey was brought in to replace Darryl Morey as the President of Basketball Operations for the Philadelphia and he has had as good a summer as anyone. He took advantage of the Celtics’ salary dumping Jaylen Brown, then convinced LeBron to finish his career with a team he had not been on before, which comes with a sense of unfamiliarity. T