“It’s fair to wonder if individual greatness is enough for him if the Lakers are going to be mediocre” - Bill Oram questions what LeBron James wants from the LA Lakers
This year’s Los Angeles Lakers have been mediocre, but that has nothing to do with how LeBron James has played individually. Billy Oram, “The Athletics” staff writer covering the Lakers, wrote an article going over James’ season and the outlook for him and the Lakers in the future.
It is hard to deny that James has had an impressive fourth year with the Lakers, averaging 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists, all for a team that didn’t even make the play-in tournament. James averaged the most minutes per game since playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers in his 19 years in the NBA.
With one more year left on James’ contract, the question now turns toward the future. The Lakers roster is not up to par with how James has played, but should they go all in next season if James is going to walk once the season is over?
Oram explored the questions that revolve around James’ future with the Lakers by writing:
“Individually, he was brilliant, averaging 30.3 points per game — his most in 14 years — posting a pair of 50-point games and putting himself in position to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer next season. But the Lakers were, and for now remain, a historic disaster. And whatever comes next, it’s not certain they will be less of one next season or beyond. As James prepares for his third early offseason in four seasons with the Lakers, it’s fair to wonder if individual greatness is enough for him if the Lakers are going to be mediocre.”
As I watched LeBron sit on the bench at the end of another lost season, I couldn’t help but wonder: What is really important to him this offseason and in the remaining years of his partnership with the Lakers? theathletic.com/3239792/2022/0…
This offseason for the Lakers will be filled with choices they will have to make, which could negatively impact James wanting to stay or needing to leave. If the Lakers want to make up for this season's debacle, they need to build the best possible roster and take advantage of James, who is still yet to decline, and win another NBA Championship.
What should LeBron James do?
LeBron James' time with the Lakers can be categorized as a strange up and down roller-coaster.
In his first season, they missed the playoffs due to injuries and undeveloped young talent. They, then, traded for Anthony Davis to win James’ fourth NBA title, three on different teams. The injury bug struck the next season again, forcing the Lakers into the play-in and winning to play the future Western Conference Champions, the Phoenix Suns, in the first round. They tried to trade for another star in Russell Westbrook this season, which has not gone according to plan.
The Charlotte Hornets are reportedly emerging as potential suitors for a Russell Westbrook trade this off-season.
(via @TheSteinLine) https://t.co/ZAlSQ7LPoj
At the start of next season, it is more likely than not that the Lakers will have traded or cut Westbrook and fired head coach Frank Vogel. The team could look completely different, which could be good or bad.
On the bright side, this roster and coaching staff have not worked this season. On the other hand, they already rehauled the whole roster in the last offseason, so doing it again will be very difficult.
Suppose the Lakers are not making a deep playoff push. In that case, the likelihood of LeBron James coming back for another gets less and less, which would be horrible considering how much the Lakers put into building a team around him.