John Stockton takes aim at LeBron James, criticizing 'LeGm' Tactics and describing him as a challenging teammate
LeBron James has been the face of the NBA for 20 years now and is entering into his 21st season. Most players would have retired after 15 years and turned to another form of employment, but not James.
Bron has been on competing teams since his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but fans have claimed that he influences the management to have teams built according to his wishes. "LeGm" is the nickname fans have given him
Be it the Miami Heat, the second innings with the Cavs, or the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron has always had superstar-caliber players around him. There were huge overhauls made to accommodate James.
Heat brought in Chris Bosh to pair with James and Dwyane Wade. The Cavaliers shipped out the old guard to be replaced by young and hungry players. The Lakers traded away their entire young core to sign one player - Anthony Davis.
John Stockton in a recent interview was asked about his views on this topic, and he had a few things to say.
He said:
"I don't know how it is sitting in the front office and a player dictating to you like LeBron James is, it appears so."
I think it would be maddening as a teammate to know that you are expendable to one of your guys. The iffyness it causes within the team, the iffyness it causes upstairs, I don't like it either," he added.
The challenge of playing in a LeBron-led team is always about the fit for the particular playstyle he needs around him. The King is always the facilitator and also can turn scorer. Other players who play similarly to him have to adjust their style to fit into the system, and not the other way around. It is very challenging to be his teammate, but if they do gel, they go a long way.
Stockton decided to compare the highest scorer of all time to Michael Jordan. He said that Jordan and himself felt that it was always on them to try and get better as a team, but not try and trade players away to win championships.
Jordan and Stockton did not complain to their GMs about not having a better star cast around them. Instead, they found it within themselves to try and push their existing teammates to get better.
He called LeBron James a great player, but a player who always tries to look for the "better team".
LeBron James has not much time left in the NBA - will he win another championship?
After last season's heroics, LeBron James has finally become the all-time leading scorer. His team, the Los Angeles Lakers also had a very successful year, going to the conference finals.
They were given the worst hand to start the season with, winning only 2 out of their first 12 games. From then on, as John Stockton pointed out in the interview, personnel changes were made.
Prodigal son D'Angelo Russell made his return to the purple and gold, while Dennis Schroeder had a great impact from the bench.
If those changes were not made, Bron would have never even made it to the playoffs. With most of those players returning for this season, the Lakers will look to contend for the title.
All of that depends on how fit LeBron James and Anthony Davis can be because they missed 50+ games between the two of them last season. The key to unlocking the 5th championship is there - they just need to stay fit and healthy.