Rumors of LeBron James’ future with the LA Lakers have heated up in recent days. Despite the all-time great opting into his contract with the team, some still believe it’s a possibility he could be traded, mainly because he said he’s closely monitoring the team’s willingness to be a championship contender. Based on their free agency additions, they seemingly aren’t.
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Amid the rising tension and the possibility of a trade, ESPN analyst Scott Van Pelt took the time to remind fans of an ongoing phenomenon. That phenomenon is the idea that the greatest players of all time rarely get their retirement timing correct. When unpacked, the phenomenon is quite fascinating.
Van Pelt first recalled other NBA legends similar to LeBron in the GOAT conversation and pointed this out.
“How many true greats get the dismount right?” Van Pelt questioned on SVPod. “Where the end is just sort of a glide to a stop and gracefully exit the stage. It just mostly doesn’t happen, and it’s amazing how often.”
It’s an interesting point to make. And it’s not one that’s only bound to NBA greats. Tom Brady had a losing record and a first-round loss in the final season of his career. Additionally, his marriage went belly up because he couldn’t walk away from the NFL.
Van Pelt then brought up how Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal’s careers ended, and that nobody remembers them for the way they went out.
“People don’t think of Michael Jordan in a Wizards uniform. That’s where he ended his run, as a Wizard. I don’t even know who Shaquille O’Neal’s last team was. I don’t know. There was Phoenix, there was Cleveland, there was Boston, I have absolutely no idea who the last team was,” Van Pelt stated.
To answer the trivia, Shaq ended his career as a member of the Boston Celtics. He ended his run playing for 4 teams in 5 seasons. Which feels wrong, given that he’s perhaps the most dominant force to ever play in the league. By the end, he was passed around like food at a Thanksgiving dinner.
Later on, Van Pelt talked about how Luka Doncic is clearly the Lakers’ guy, and that LeBron not being offered an extension is a bit of a sign of where things stand.
“So, Luka’s the guy for the Lakers moving forward. I think everyone understands that. And the Lakers, by the way, have done plenty for LeBron; they drafted your son,” Van Pelt said. “But to reach a place where an all-time great is seen as like, ‘Eh, we’re going to reach a point where you opt in and that’s it, man.’”
It all led SVP to question whether or not LeBron would get his retirement right. After all, he’s qualified for awards every season in his career, and has never seen a dip in production. But those other GOATs did by the end.
Van Pelt then said that it just goes to show that no one gets to dictate the terms of how their career ends, not even LeBron. If he did have that ability, he would be on a longer, more secure deal. But instead, he’s opting in yearly.
By the end of his monologue, SVP wanted to remind LeBron of a common saying. “I always try to remember the old line, ‘Leave the party 15 minutes early rather than 15 minutes late.’ Man, most people hang out one drink too many, and then they gotta call you an Uber.”
LeBron’s future with the Lakers has certainly been in doubt in recent days. Reportedly, the Mavericks, Clippers, Cavaliers, and Warriors have all called the team to inquire about his price. Which is ultimately going to be the big question. How much will a team trade for a 40-year-old on a $50 million contract?
We tend to think quite a bit. LeBron could walk away from the game any year now. But he could also immediately help any of those teams win a championship. It’s just a matter of whether those teams are willing to take the risk and push some chips into the center of the table, or if the Lakers are actually willing to move on from him.
