One of the biggest storylines of this offseason has been the future of LeBron James in the NBA. After he picked up his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers, there were rumblings around the league about his future with them.
Amid all the reports of a growing rift between the Lakers’ front office and James, former NBA veteran Lou Williams expressed his feelings about what to expect from James in the offseason.
Williams appeared on the most recent episode of FanDuel’s ‘Run It Back’ show and revealed his thoughts on James, while particularly focusing on how cleverly James had chosen his silence.
“We’ve seen this movie before. LeBron, he’s going to hold his cards close to his chest until he gets what he wants out of this scenario. He’s going to put pressure on the Lakers’ brass to bring in guys that’s going to give him an opportunity at 41-42 years old, to compete for a championship.”
“Luka was a great start, but they got to round out the edges, right? He’s going to be non-committal till they put the pieces in place for him to be successful in the purple and gold.”
“I mean, it’s LeBron James, what are you gonna do? He has the leverage.”
There have been rumors that James wants to stay in LA and report for training camp as per the team’s schedule. However, there have also been reports of James’ growing frustrations with the team ever since they traded Russell Westbrook away. Therefore, uncertainty is the tool that James allegedly uses to his benefit, which Williams claims we have seen him do over the years.
What Has LeBron James Been Up To This Summer?
Even after LeBron James picked up his $52.6 million player option, James did not directly address his future, and rather sent a cryptic message to the Lakers’ front office through his agent, Rich Paul.
Following this, James was spotted playing golf with his buddies while the rumor mill generated reports of James allegedly losing control of the front office and drifting apart from them. Fans felt James could possibly be preparing himself for retirement as he picked up a sport common among retired men.
Now, several teams have also shown interest in James, including the Warriors and Mavericks, where he could play alongside his close friends Stephen Curry or Kyrie Irving. He is still playing at an All-NBA caliber level and could convert either the Warriors or Mavericks into instant championship contenders if he joins them.
Last season, James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds and made the All-NBA second team, alongside his 21st All-Star appearance.
In some dream scenarios for James, teams like the Cavaliers or Heat could also be interested in him, especially if he gets bought out by the Lakers. But those seem unlikely at this point. James has recorded two podcast episodes in the offseason so far, but in both of those episodes, he has chosen to remain silent on the issue of his future with the Lakers.
At one point, there were also reports that James felt disrespected by the Lakers when they decided to rebuild around Luka Doncic. Many unanswered questions surround LeBron James’ future. We could witness LeBron James get traded for the first time in his career if the Lakers and James don’t reach a consensus on his future soon.
