Before LeBron James landed with the Philadelphia 76ers, 27 of the NBA’s 30 teams inquired about the four-time MVP, James’ agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN.

Among them: one of the 41-year-old superstar’s oldest rivals, the Boston Celtics.

Boston “expressed interest” in James during his weeks-long foray into free agency, according to a report Wednesday from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

It’s unclear whether James ever viewed Boston as a realistic destination. Paul did list the C’s on his whiteboard of potential landing spots — written as “Brad (Stevens) + (Jayson) Tatum” — during an early-July episode of his “Game On” podcast, but James’ disdain for the Celtics fanbase is no secret.

“I think Boston would rank 30th on his list,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who’s covered James since high school, said earlier this month. “I really, honestly do. He hates Boston.”

James ultimately chose to sign with the team that knocked Boston out of the 2026 playoffs, picking Philadelphia over finalists Cleveland, Miami, Golden State and Minnesota. With the Sixers, he’ll team up with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and former Celtics cornerstone Jaylen Brown, whose controversial trade made Philly a far more appealing suitor.

In a social media post announcing his signing, James said he prioritized championship contention when deciding where he would play his 24th NBA season. He accepted a veteran-minimum contract from the 76ers (with a second-year player option) and will look to become the first player in league history to win titles with four different franchises.

“This is my last decision,” James wrote. “I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship. I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.”

The Celtics, whose big moves this offseason were trading Brown for aging wing Paul George and draft picks, and signing center Mitchell Robinson and point guard Mike Conley in free agency, won’t have to wait long to see James, Brown and this new Sixers superteam in action.

The Atlantic Division foes are scheduled to play each other twice this preseason: in Boston’s home opener at TD Garden on Oct. 10 and in Philadelphia on Oct. 16.