LeBron James is in the final few seasons of his illustrious NBA career and hasn’t shown a desire to stop pushing for championships. However, the LA Lakers that he is currently playing for don’t look like they are in the position to compete for championships.
LeBron is entering the final year of his contract with the Lakers in 2022-23, and many are wondering what he will do next. He is expected to re-sign with the team and possibly stay with them until his son Bronny is old enough to be drafted into the NBA. Sadly, that does mean LeBron is going to spend his twilight on a Lakers team that may not help him furnish his championship legacy.
As LeBron hopes to retire as the greatest player of all time, he will need to win more championships to enable that. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer believes LeBron should make his way out of the Lakers if the team fails to surround him with a championship supporting cast.
How bad would things need to get in LA for LeBron to become the next star to request a trade? New @ringer column on the Lakers’ situation: https://t.co/MzmXYjDvMi
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) August 10, 2022
“If the Lakers don’t do everything they can to build a title contender around LeBron, or if they try to do so and fail, he should leave for basketball reasons. Family, business, and the joy that comes from living in Los Angeles might outweigh the desire to bolster his legacy in a new city. But there are still chapters to be written that involve him winning on the court.” (h/t The Ringer)
All signs point towards the Lakers having to bite the bullet on their future picks and trading to get better in the present. The Lakers are better off trying to open up space by getting rid of LeBron than trying to tread water for the sake of it.
LeBron has never demanded a trade out of a team and can continue that by walking from the Lakers next season. With everything that the city provides to him and his family, it’s going to be a tough decision for the 4-time champion.
