LeBron James didn’t have much to say following the Lakers’ 110-96 loss to the Heat on Wednesday. After another disappointing showing, serious questions are starting to surface about the Lakers, and they begin with LeBron himself, who ignored the media this week in his latest out-of-character move.
LeBron James left without speaking to reporters tonight.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) January 4, 2024
Internally, things have been devolving for the Lakers ever since the in-season tournament ended last month. Without the spark of the tournament to keep them going, the Lakers are starting to slip with their play and they are losing ground in the Western Conference standings. LeBron James, who has otherwise been fantastic this season, showed his age tonight with just 12 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds with just 6-18 FG in 38 minutes.
While the season is still relatively young at the moment, it’s not a good idea to fall too far behind in the standings. Last year’s 2-10 start put the Lakers in a deep hole that barely recovered from to avoid a similar risk of failure this time, they’ll need to avoid racking up too many early losses. If they don’t find a way to recover quickly, things could start to change in the locker room and across the roster.
NBA Fans React To LeBron’s Unceremonious Exit
For those that are familiar with LeBron James, you’ll know that he rarely skips out on his media duties. Even after some of the worst losses of his life, LeBron has taken the time to speak with reporters but now something has changed. On social media, it had the whole fanbase buzzing as people tried to come up with rational theories.
Oh I like this passive aggressive Bron is back. Front office gotta shake things up. Coach changes and trades or this team won’t even make the playoffs-in
— Burj (@Dmillion10) January 4, 2024
At 39 years old, it’s no secret that James is in the twilight of his career. Now, more than ever, though, he looked like it and fans were quick to let him know.
LeBron tonight pic.twitter.com/a3jVYldoNv
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) January 4, 2024
As some fans pointed out, this could be a sign that LeBron is getting ready to initiate some serious changes for the Lakers.
He’s sick and tired of losing we need to change our coach and team
— 👑🎭 (@Br0nToLA23) January 4, 2024
At this point, LeBron has every right to be upset. He played nearly 40 minutes tonight in a blowout loss and it’s been a theme throughout the entire season. At this point, James should be competing for championships but instead, he’s being tasked to carry a Lakers team on his back at 39 years old. It’s far from the ideal scenario for the Lakers, and they know more than anyone that something needs to change.
Intensity Is Rising In Los Angeles
With their championship window nearly slammed shut, the clock is ticking for the Lakers to maximize their star power. With LeBron and Anthony Davis still playing at an elite level (for now), the focus needs to be on improving the supporting cast and we’ve already seen a few names emerge from the fold.
In Chicago, both Alex Caruso and Zach LaVine have been tagged as potential trade targets for the Lakers. There’s also Pascal Siakan of the Raptors, who has been on the block for months now. With those names, or several others, the Lakers could take their first step towards contention but the competition is steep and success is far from a given at this stage. All the Lakers can do now is press forward and hope that something changes on its own.
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