Pablo Torre says he's getting tips from NBA owners about LeBron James's helicopter commute between New York and Philadelphia, and he's not ruling out digging deeper into it. The podcaster, who made waves this year with his reporting on Kawhi Leonard's Clippers contract, told an audience at a media conference this week that James's unusual travel arrangement with Fanatics has caught the league's attention — and his own.
Torre Says the Tips Are Coming From Inside the League
Speaking at Front Office Sports' Tune In Summit in New York on Tuesday, Torre discussed his interest in the ties between James and Fanatics, particularly the helicopter the 41-year-old has used to shuttle between Philadelphia and New York while playing for the 76ers, according to Front Office Sports. Torre said the arrangement interests him both as a story and because it may be of interest to the league itself, adding that he and his podcast have received tips about the helicopter situation from NBA owners. He stopped short of saying whether he'll actually publish anything on the matter.
The scrutiny follows Torre's reporting that broke open the Kawhi Leonard saga, in which a September 2025 episode of his podcast revealed Leonard had accepted a $28 million no-show contract tied to the now-defunct company Aspiration, according to The Athletic. That story eventually led the NBA to strip the Los Angeles Clippers of five first-round picks, fine the team $30 million and suspend owner Steve Ballmer for a year.
How the Helicopter Deal Actually Works
James signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers in July, according to the New York Post, and is set to earn a career-low $3.87 million this season. Rather than relocate full-time to Philadelphia, James moved to New York with his family after leaving the Lakers and has been commuting by Fanatics-branded helicopter instead of driving, using the aircraft for practices and preseason games throughout the offseason.
The arrangement isn't new money tied to the Sixers deal. James's spokesperson said the Fanatics agreement — signed nearly three years ago — includes access to the company's corporate aviation, and it was negotiated with Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin in January 2024, well before James ever considered Philadelphia, according to Yahoo Sports. The station's report notes that Fanatics builds aviation access into deals with many of its largest athletes, and James can reportedly use the company's aircraft for free as part of that 2024 agreement.
Rubin no longer holds an ownership stake in the 76ers, and James's Fanatics agreement predates his time with the team, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. James has said he plans to split his time between Philadelphia and New York, maintaining multiple residences rather than fully relocating.
The Numbers Behind the Commute
A helicopter trip between the two cities is reported to take roughly 30 to 45 minutes depending on the source, compared with the 90 minutes to two hours a drive usually requires. James was seen landing at the VIP heliport on West 30th Street in New York after the 76ers held their first scrimmage on October 3rd. Since the start of October, a helicopter identified by callsign N6FN and nicknamed the “LeBron James Express” made 18 trips between Northeast Philadelphia Airport and the Manhattan heliport, according to Defector. The Inquirer cautions, however, that other users also have access to Fanatics helicopters, so flight-tracking data alone can't confirm which trips James personally took.
If James were to make the trip for all 41 home games plus roughly 26 home practices — a total Philly Voice estimated at around 67 round trips — the retail cost would be substantial. A one-way chopper flight between New York and Philadelphia runs about $4,000 to $10,000, Front Office Sports reports, and Yahoo Sports separately estimated the retail value of round trips across a full season at between $328,000 and $820,000.
Not the First Star to Split Cities
James wouldn't be the first 76er to live outside Philadelphia while playing there. JJ Redick commuted from Brooklyn during his time with the team from 2017 to 2019, and Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain lived in New York while playing for Philadelphia decades earlier, even running a Harlem nightclub on the side, according to The Athletic. The 76ers, for their part, haven't won a championship since 1983 and haven't gotten past the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs since 2001, according to NBA.com.
Weather remains an open variable for the commute. The Athletic's reporting notes the helicopter can't fly during thunderstorms, blizzards or when there's a risk of rotor icing, and that New York recorded 11 days of 40-plus mile-per-hour wind gusts between October 2025 and April 2026, compared with 33 such days in Philadelphia. James's 76ers are scheduled to open the season against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on October 20th, putting the commute question squarely in the spotlight from day one.
