Could LeBron James Leave the Los Angeles Lakers?
Recently, Kyrie Irving was one of the most talked about players in the NBA. Despite the Finals being well underway, Irving stole the headlines as information was released that he has been courting LeBron James to join him on the Dallas Mavericks.
While this would form what could be the best big three in the league between James, Irving, and Luka Doncic, for the move even to be considered, James would have to be willing to leave the Los Angeles Lakers.
Case to Stay
Although the Lakers would be swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, it would still be a very promising season for the team. They started the season with a very disappointing 2-10 record. However, after some incredible trades made at the deadline, Los Angeles would quickly become one of the strongest-performing teams in the year’s second half.
They would continue this elite run into the playoffs, and although they came into the postseason as the 7th seed in the conference, they would knock off both the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors. If the current Lakers roster runs it back next season, there is a chance they could make a Finals run with more time and experience playing together.
Off the court, James has begun to build an empire in Los Angeles. He has broken into being an actor during his time in LA, and his eldest son is set to attend USC next season. With all of these things tying him to Los Angeles, it could be very difficult for him to leave the Lakers.
Case to Leave
While the Lakers were the hottest team in the second half of the regular season and had a very successful run in the playoffs, there is still a case to be made that James would be in a better situation on a different team.
With James being set to turn 39 years old next season, it is clear that father time will catch up with him eventually. While James was still one of the top players in the NBA last season, he has begun suffering from injuries that have kept him sidelined for extended amounts of time in recent years. Along with this, last season, he suffered possibly the most serious injury of his career. Despite playing through the injury, James had a torn tendon in his foot that may require surgery during the offseason.
As a result of all of these factors, it is becoming clear that LeBron can no longer be the best player on a team that can win a title. With him being in the twilight years of his career, he likely will be looking to win one or two more championships before he calls it a career. Since their 2020 title, Anthony Davis has proven to be an unreliable option and a player that will not be capable of leading a team to a championship.
Final Verdict
While it may be best for LeBron’s odds to win another ring or two before retirement to leave the Lakers, he likely will not do so until his current contract expires. The Lakers are still a promising team, and if they are able to remain healthy and get a chance to mesh better throughout an entire regular season together, they very well could be a championship contender.
With Bronny James set to play at USC next season, LeBron will not pass up the chance to watch his son play collegiate basketball as frequently as possible just to join Kyrie in Dallas.
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