LeBron James has proven over his career that he is the definition of a playoff player. More often than not, LeBron has elevated his game when he needs to the most and taken some average teams to the NBA Finals during his prime. However, LBJ can’t carry the same load in Year 20 of his career and the Lakers missed the playoffs last season.
The team has had a horrible 0-3 start to the season, foreshadowing another year of spectacular failure for the franchise in purple and gold. There’s an unfortunate track record that precedes LeBron and 0-3 starts, as James has never turned a season around enough to overcome losing the first 3 games into qualifying for the playoffs.
LeBron seasons starting 0-3:
2003-04 (missed the playoffs)
2004-05 (missed the playoffs)
2018-19 (missed the playoffs)
2022-23 (???) pic.twitter.com/8Uy6nfvUHN
— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 24, 2022
LeBron missing the playoffs doesn’t feel right, but it is what it is. Unless the Lakers make a trade to send Russell Westbrook out of the team and acquire depth across positions that make the Lakers’ roster look passable, they are most likely headed for the lottery and sending their pick to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Will LeBron Contend For A Championship In LA Again?
Everyone expected LeBron to be ring-chasing late into his career to match Michael Jordan’s 6 championships. While he has earned 4, it looks extremely unlikely that the Lakers can turn this team around enough in the next year or 2 to give LeBron a competitive core to work with.
If LeBron is to leave the Lakers and go retire back home in Cleveland or in a different team that has assets to make moves or a team with an already established core, he could be the difference-maker that catapults them over the top, so maybe championship-winning as a concept isn’t over for LeBron. It just may be the case for his time in LA as a title-winner.
