After a third first-round exit in the purple and gold, fans are beginning to ask LeBron James will seek to join a new team this summer in what could be his final NBA season. It’s now been five years since he led the Los Angeles Lakers to their 17th NBA Championship, and many have wondered whether James’ partnership with the franchise has run its course.
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LeBron has now completed seven seasons with the Lakers – matching the length of his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. While he didn’t spend the prime of his career like other LA icons like Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson, LBJ has undoubtedly solidified himself as a Lakers legend.
Considering James is 40 years old with a family that’s comfortable in their current home, Michael Rapaport doesn’t see a good reason for The King to leave the Lakers. There’s no guarantee that the grass will be greener with another franchise, and at this stage of his career, Rapaport believes LeBron doesn’t want to uproot his family.
“I also think that [LeBron’s] a family man,” the actor and noted loudmouth said to Skip Bayless. “I feel like as you get older, and he’s got a young daughter and a son in school, whether it’s Cleveland, New York, Miami, I can’t see him at this point in his life as a man, wanting to spend the next year on a new team.”
For James’ 10-year-old daughter, Zhuri, Los Angeles is basically all she knows. Meanwhile, both of his sons attended high school in the area and have grounded roots of their own in the city. One of the most luxurious markets in professional sports, it would be difficult for LeBron to find a franchise who can give him a better life than the Lakers.
Despite the team’s disappointing playoff exit, LA isn’t actually too far from contention, especially after their acquisition of Luka Dončić. The Lakers already have their foundation; the team’s front office simply needs to fill in the gaps that were so easily exposed by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Already boasting two of the league’s most recognizable names, the Lakers are in dire need of a capable rim protector and bench depth. While it’s easier said than done to find the right fits, Rob Pelinka and the rest of the front office know what the future Hall of Famer needs to succeed at this point in his career.
Los Angeles is far from dead in the water, which only increases the likelihood that LeBron will return for at least one more season. If the Lakers are able to make marginal moves to improve the roster, it might take much to sell James on a return, especially considering his family’s desires.
