The LeBron James era for the Los Angeles Lakers has been filled with ups and downs. The team won a championship in just his second season, but they’ve had limited playoff success since.
Following the Luka Doncic trade, the Lakers were considered among the favorites to win the championship. However, they ended up losing five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Round 1.
James played well, but he clearly isn’t the same player he once was, as he scored over 25 points just twice in the series. Plus, he suffered a knee injury in Game 5. The Lakers have been very James-centered for the last several years, but now that Doncic is in the building, they are his team.
Eventually, James is going to retire, but it remains to be seen how long he’ll play. Some think the Lakers might be better off moving on from the future Hall of Famer now and start building around Doncic sooner rather than later.
Actor and sports personality Michael Rapoport made the case for the Lakers to cut ties with James.
“It worked in bits,” Rapoport said of the James and Doncic duo on “The Skip Bayless Show.” “Obviously, it didn’t work enough. I think it’s time to move on. I think he sucks the joy out of that team. It would be in their best interest, unless they’re able to get some other pieces, to let him go or move on from him. There were some stretches where he was a top-five player, some stretches where he was a top-10 player. They looked bad in the playoffs. … I think he is a vibe killer.”
Is It Too Early to Pivot on James?
The Lakers have always been very good to their superstars, so it’s hard to imagine they would just move on from James unless the decision was mutual. Plus, James has a player option on his contract, so he can choose to remain under contract with the team.
Now, if he decides to opt out to seek another contract, the Lakers have more leverage than they did in the past. Perhaps they could convince James to take a little less money to help free up room to build up the roster.
While James isn’t the player he once was, he still averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds this season. Even at 41 next year, there’s reason to believe he can at least be a top-20 player in the NBA next season. Unless the Lakers have a better option available to them, it’s unlikely they’d move on from James.
How Much Longer Will James Play?
There were moments this season when James appeared to turn back the clock. However, that level of play isn’t sustainable for a player in their 40s.
James could likely be an above-average player for a few more seasons, but it’s starting to look like he’s nearing the end. He’s getting injured at a much higher rate than at any other point in his career.
It’s difficult to see a scenario where he reitres this offseason, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he announced that next season will be his last.
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