LeBron James has been struggling with his body since last February when he hurt a tendon on his right foot really bad. He missed Los Angeles Lakers game schedule for almost a month. But then, he returned to the lineup sooner than expected and gave everything to lead the squad to the bright side. However, it was a different team from the one when he left. Apparently, when he hurt his foot, the Lakers were not able to find a winning streak and were nowhere near the top six.
But when James returned at the fag end of the regular season, the purple and gold had a reasonable possibility of finishing in the top six. And after some serious ups and downs, the Lakers ultimately reached the conference finals. Although even after all the accomplishments, the King is not happy. This is because, at the age of 38, he missed a great chance of winning his 5th championship ring. Nevertheless, LeBron James was in impeccable form even at 38 and in his 20th NBA season. However, the way his team lost in the Western Conference Finals was indeed disappointing. And as a result, the Lakers’ ace is once again bound to re-think his future and his tenure with the team.
Rob Pelinka Says Lakers Will Support James No Matter What
In the Western Conference finale, the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers by 4-0. After all the brilliant turnaround in the season, the Lakers had to fall so miserably. Hence, it is tough to digest for everybody, let alone LeBron James. However, in the post-game interview after the elimination, LeBron James hinted at a retirement decision with a cryptic message. Moreover, on the same day, a very close friend of James, Carmelo Anthony, retired. Hence, there is a chance that might have influenced James to start thinking about retirement. However, he always said that his goal is to play alongside or against his son Bronny James after he gets picked next year in NBA.
But this sudden hint has shocked everybody, including the Laker’s front office. Rob Pelinka, Lakers GM, recently mentioned via ESPN that LeBron James has contributed to the game so much, no less than anybody. But every great player reaches an inflection point. He added, “And as a Laker, we need to support him anyway. But we will hope that his career continues. However, it is his decision.” However, LeBron James has not confirmed his retirement officially yet. But if he does in the offseason, then it will really hurt the Lakers, the front office, and of course, the Lakers faithful big time.
Other Than The WCF, LeBron James Had A Great Season
The Lakers beat the second seed, Grizzlies, and the defending champions, the Warriors, on their way to the WCF. Moreover, the Lakers shocked everybody in the playoffs under the leadership of LeBron James. Even though he had not been 100% healthy, he had been performing brilliantly.
This year especially has been very kind to James in terms of individual glories. He broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring record and has equaled him in All-Star appearances record. Moreover, LeBron James is also the fourth name on the list of top assists of all time. Recently, in the conference finals against the Nuggets, he became the first NBA player to score 8,000 points in playoffs and the oldest player to score 40+ points in NBA Playoffs. So, will LeBron James consider these achievements and accolades as a success and stay with Los Angeles Lakers for some time more? Only time will tell.
