Pablo Torre shook up the NBA world after investigating Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers for a salary cap circumvention scheme. Now, he’s looking into LeBron James’ free helicopter rides between New York and Philadelphia, and how James ended up with the 76ers in the first place, leaving James’ allies and fans very displeased.

This includes his former teammate Carmelo Anthony, who went off on Pablo Torre in a recent episode of 7PM in Brooklyn podcast.

“I’m taking a chopper and getting from New York to Philly at 6:00, 6:30 in the morning… So, Pablo, why the f**k you talking about? You snitching a**. The owners are snitching.” Anthony said.

Carmelo brought up what Pablo Torre said during a recent conversation at Front Office Sports’ Tuned In summit. Torre explained that owners in the league are interested in James’ transport situation.

“We’re also getting tips from NBA owners who are sending me your story being like, ‘What is this?’” Torre said.

It all circles back to Michael Rubin, the CEO of Fanatics and a former minority stake owner in the 76ers. The helicopter James uses is Fanatics-branded. On his show, Pablo Torre Finds Out, Torre said, “league sources have been wondering, I’m told, if former Sixers minority owner Michael Rubin flipped LeBron” and convinced him to sign with Philadelphia at Fanatics Fest.

After all, the future Hall of Famer announced his decision days later. However, this did not stop Carmelo Anthony from questioning Pablo Torre’s sourcing of the information.

“Which owners? You’re subpoenaed to tell us which owners. So, you got to take the stand and tell us which owners,” Anthony demanded. “Don’t do that. Say, ‘The owner of the Charlotte Hornets and the owners of the New York Knicks are wondering X, Y, Z about LeBron’s transportation.’ F**k all that journalism s**t.”

The NBA bars teams from compensating players outside their contracts, the same rule at the center of the Clippers case. James signed a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option and will earn a career-low $3.87 million this season.

Is LeBron James’ helicopter situation curious? Yes. However, TMZ previously reported that the travel arrangement comes out of the player’s broad long-term deal with Fanatics.

The deal, reportedly, extends beyond his time playing basketball as well, as per Front Office Sports’ Daniel Roberts. Therefore, LeBron James does not pay anything out of his pocket when it comes to traveling between the two cities.

That deal began in January 2024, while James was still with the Lakers, and will extend beyond his playing career, according to FOS. Such trips may roughly cost anywhere between $4,000 and $10,000 each way.

That being said, Pablo Torre hasn’t explicitly accused James of any wrongdoing. Nor has he claimed that the 76ers are circumventing the cap for the NBA icon. The investigation is currently underway, and it might take some time for him to conclude it on his show, Pablo Torre Finds Out.

If any wrongdoing is discovered, heavy fines may be levied by the league. For instance, Torre’s Clippers reporting began in September 2025. This September, the NBA fined the team $30 million, stripped it of five first-round picks, and suspended owner Steve Ballmer for a year.

James hasn’t personally addressed Pablo Torre or the investigation so far. The player appears focused on the upcoming regular season, his first with the Philadelphia 76ers as well as his 24th in the NBA.