LeBron James was on the verge of retiring at the end of the last season. He was contemplating retirement after the season ended horribly for the Los Angeles Lakers. However, at the ESPY Awards, King James mentioned that he believes he still has a lot to give to the game of basketball. Finally, he got ready for his 21st season in the NBA, thinking there’s no stopping the Lakers now. But now it seems the old foes are troubling the franchise yet again.
The lack of a winning streak and injury concerns are causing a lot of problems for the LA side. Lately, the Houston Rockets thrashed the Lakers, who have been on the road for a while, 128-94. The Rockets handed the LA side a humiliating loss and blew them away. It was the fifth defeat already for the Lakers this season in eight games. Hence, tensions are rising, as LeBron James mentioned in the post-game interview that injuries are a big concern.
Why LeBron James Says The Lakers Can’t Build Any Cohesion At Present?
Anthony Davis did not play the game owing to the hip injury he sustained in the game against the Miami Heat. Hence, LeBron James was alone at the Toyota Center, leading the LA side. As per Spectrum Sports Net, LeBron James mentioned that if they don’t have their unit, then they won’t be able to build cohesion. These injuries to key players have really depleted the whole team yet again. Besides AD, Jaxson Hayes, Gabe Vincent, and Jarred Vanderbilt are not available at present for the LA side. Hayes is out with a sprained ankle. Moreover, Vincent and Vanderbilt both received orders from the doctor to stay out for at least a couple of weeks.
LeBron James on @SpectrumSN:
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) November 9, 2023
"We can't build cohesion if we don't have our unit… We're very depleted on the injury side."
For the last three games, both Vincent and Vanderbilt are out. The Lakers had been going on a four-game road trip. So far, it kind of blows for the 17-time champions. They have lost three games out of the four, and they will meet the Phoenix Suns for the fourth game on Friday. Clearly, without the key starters, the Lakers feel depleted. It has not been the start they were hoping for. Hence, LeBron James and the Lakers Nation are not too happy about it.
LBJ Had A Lot Of Expectations On The LA Side That Made Him Change His Mind In The Offseason
At the age of 38, winning a championship is the only motivation for the King. But the Lakers came so close to making the NBA Finals and winning it last season. However, the eventual champions shattered their dreams into pieces in the Western Conference Finals. Moreover, the WCF ended in just four games. It was so humiliating that LBJ right away started thinking about calling it “Quits.”
However, what changed his mind in the offseason was the balance and depth in the roster that the Lakers successfully maintained. In fact, the LA side looked more like a top contender for the championship. Many experts and fans claimed that the Lakers had the best offseason trades this year. These high expectations and good prospects made LeBron James say “Yes” to at least one more season.