“He plays for the Lakers, doesn’t even feel like he’s a Laker” - NBA analyst claims LA Lakers extended LeBron James's contract only to sell tickets and fill seats as they’re not built to win championships
LA Lakers team governor Jeanie Buss recently admitted in an interview that signing LeBron James to an extension was their top priority in the offseason. Having the four-time MVP on the roster for at least two more seasons doesn’t guarantee championships, though.
As constructed, the Hollywood squad may not even be a top-five team in the West, let alone the entire NBA. The Lakers could be playoff contenders, but they’re not bona fide championship contenders.
Doug Gottlieb, on the “The Herd” podcast, saw the extension as the best not-so-good option for the Lakers to keep fans interested:
“It feels like the Lakers are doing this for relevance…He plays for the Lakers, doesn’t even feel like he is a Laker. At the end of this contract, he’d been a Laker for seven seasons. By then people are, ‘He’s a Laker, sort of.’ Won a title, he’ll have played with the Lakers longer than Wilt Chamberlain played for the Lakers.”
“But it just feels like they're doing it to stay relevant, not to be great. And that goes counter to what the Lakers have always strived for and what LeBron has always represented!”
OFFICIAL: @KingJames has signed an extension with the #LakeShow 👑 https://t.co/Es3YoXXQhO
In the aforementioned “The Athletic” interview with Jeanie Buss, she mentioned LeBron James’ confidence in the team to contend for a title. It’s for this reason that “King James” extended his stay in La La Land.
Just how the LA Lakers can vie for the championship remains to be seen. They’re likely one Anthony Davis injury away from suffering another humiliating season.
LeBron James had another great campaign last season, but the Lakers shouldn’t count on him as they have had in previous years. James will be in his 20th season and is no longer the player he once was, particularly on the defensive end.
Lakers Insider: "I don’t believe the Lakers, as currently constructed, can win a championship. I think they can certainly make the playoffs, but I expect them to be a bottom-tier playoff team if Westbrook is on the roster and playing."
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Expecting LeBron James to carry the Lakers yet again will be irresponsible planning by the team’s front office. LA have already added Patrick Beverley to their roster, but they need a deeper and more balanced team.
LeBron James’ last two seasons could define his LA Lakers legacy
After his two-year extension ends, LeBron James will have been a Laker for six seasons. Currently, his resume shows one championship, one first-round exit and two playoff misses. He will have to deliver one more title to cement his legacy in the pantheon of the LA Lakers greats.
Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal and Wilt Chamberlain are usually considered to be the best among legendary Laker greats. Except for Chamberlain, who only had one title in five seasons, everyone on the list has delivered multiple titles to the Lakers.
Fox Sports Radio’s Robert Guerra questions whether LeBron James is a top 10 Laker of all time
“He’ll be behind Worthy, Pau Gasol and Byron Scott. He’ll be behind those guys, not even just counting Kobe, Shaq, Magic, Wilt, Jerry West, Kareem.”
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Most basketball analysts even put him outside of the top 10 Laker legends. James Worthy, Pau Gasol, Kurt Rambis, Michael Cooper, Robert Horry and several others have better purple and gold resumes than James.
Winning another title, however, will catapult him, without a doubt, into the top five best players to wear the LA Lakers jersey.